Decoded
by krp101
Summary: After 8 months of normality in the life of Bolt and his growing family, his daugher, Nova learns that things in her life aren't exactly what they seem. Will she find out the truth about Bolt, or her REAL parents?
1. The Days of InBetween

Welcome to the sequel of 'The Adventure Continues!' I am pleased to announce that I have returned to keep the legacy that Bolt has created alive, and I plan on doing that with 'Decoded'. As you all know, Bolt was called to perform a mission with 'The Phantom Five', and the mission went well for all who were involved; safe for a few minor mishaps here and there. Now, things are working out great for the shepherd back home… or so we think. Welcome to 'Decoded', and enjoy yourselves!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its character. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**The Days of In-Between**

A week had passed since Bolt and Mittens returned home to Penny and her mom, and all was working out much better than they had anticipated: Nova was still too small to walk or open her eyes, but that just made the family love her cuteness even more; the same went for Seth, as he was too young to see or hear as well; Bolt and Mittens were enjoying every minute of their new lives as mates, and now… parents, and Penny was back to her old self, and happy to have her family back together and even bigger than before.

Bolt pushed the door to Penny's room open with his nose, and jumped onto her bed, where she welcomed him with a neck scratch. As she pulled the headphones from her ears, having been listening to her iPod, she turned Bolt's collar on, allowing the two of them to speak English.

"What's up, buddy?" Penny asked

"Not much, just a little worried." Bolt responded slapping a smile on his face to hide his uneasiness.

"What's wrong?" Penny asked again.

"Well… Eli and Beverly will be here in a couple of hours to see us, and I've been having some thoughts about Nova."

"What kind of thoughts?"

"I'm wondering if she should know about her genetic abilities. I know she's still too young to know that she has them, but I'm just not sure she should know at all."

"Well, it's gonna be sort of hard to explain to her that her parents are a dog and cat. In reality, that's well… impossible."

That's just it! We aren't her real parents, and I'm starting to worry about how Eli and Beverly are gonna respond to this. They said it themselves that they wanted a normal life for their pups, and I wanna keep that belief as alive and well as possible."

"Well, run it by them and see what they think. Maybe you guys can find a compromise somewhere in-between."

Bolt and Penny looked at each other for about another 10 seconds before Bolt sunk his head into Penny's bed cover and groaned, overcome with frustration. Penny scooted closer to her dog, laying her head on top of his and stroking his back fur gently.

"I love seeing how much you care. It's probably one of the reasons Mittens loves you so much too." Penny said comforting Bolt as best she could. The shepherd pulled his head out from the comforter and looked up at Penny, smiling at her kind words.

"Thanks Penny! There's one more thing I want you to do."

"You name it!"

"If Eli and Beverly agree to this, I need to you put this collar away. When Nova begins seeing and hearing, I want make sure no talking animals live in the house." Bolt said reluctantly, knowing she wouldn't like the idea. Penny closed her eyes and lowered her head a little, somewhat upset that she couldn't talk to Bolt anymore.

"I know you didn't wanna hear that, but I need you to do this for me. You don't have to get rid of it, just because I may use it again someday; just put it in the attic or the garage, where only you can find it." Bolt said

"Okay! I'll do it!" Penny said in a heart-broken tone, which Bolt couldn't help but notice. Bolt and Penny soon had tears coming their eyes as they gently hugged.

"This isn't a sure thing, Penny. I just wanted to give you a heads-up, just in case." Bolt said

"I know, even though I'm already pretty sure that they'll agree with you." Penny said before shutting off his collar, and Bolt got up and walked out of her room, just as saddened as she was. As he made it to the bottom step, Bolt looked up to see Mittens lying on the couch, with Seth and Nova not far from her sight at the other end of the sofa.

"How did it go?" Mittens asked her mate. Bolt looked back at her for a few seconds before looking down at the floor, obviously upset, which was all the answer she needed. As Bolt jumped onto the couch cushion, he laid his head down gently, where he could finally let it out, as tears began flowing from his eyes once again. His silent breaths made Mittens feel nothing but remorse for Bolt, and what he had to be feeling. She gently climbed onto him, laying the front half of her body on his shoulders, massaging the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Bolt!" Mittens whispered into his ear as she brought her paws around his shoulders.

"It's not your fault!" Bolt said as he continued to lay with Mittens on the couch, lost in thought.

**(2 hours later)**

Bolt had ceased his sobbing, and had since turned his collar back on as he waited for Eli and Beverly to arrive, but still sat on the couch as he watched Catherine feed Nova, while Mittens lay on the cushion in-between each of them, while Seth got his fill. Rhino walked into the room from the kitchen and sat down on the arm of the couch, but decided to leave the TV off, which left Bolt a little awestruck.

"Since when do you leave the TV off?" Bolt asked the hamster.

Since the real thing will be here any minute." Rhino said sarcastically, to which Bolt couldn't help but laugh at. A brief knock came at the door, and Penny was quick to answer it.

"Hey guys!" Eli said as he and Beverly made their way through the front door.

"Hey!" Penny said welcoming the two of them in.

"It's nice to officially meet you guys." Penny said

"Yeah, I know! The last time I was here, I was dognapping him." Beverly said as she waved her paw over at Bolt, who walked up to them both and hugged them.

"It's only been about a week, but it feels like so much longer." Beverly said as she released the hug.

"No kidding! So where are the pups?" Bolt asked

"Oh there back in Bakersfield! Our new owner is watching them. The day after you guys left, we were introduced to this lady that used to work with Gracin, and the moment she saw the pups and us, she asked if we wanted to come with her back home."

"Wow! You've been busy!" Rhino said as he ran to the dogs. Beverly and Eli were happy to return the hugs, even if he was extremely small and easily crushable.

"Yeah we have! How have you guys been?"

"See for yourself!" Bolt said as he led Eli and Beverly over to see Nova, who had fallen asleep soon after being fed. Eli instantly began to tear up, seeing his daughter sleeping soundly.

"She looks so much like Seth." Eli said happily.

"I know!" Beverly responded.

"I want you to meet someone else too." Bolt said leading them over to Mittens. Beverly's mouth opened some as she stared at the kitten.

"Oh he is so cute! Where did you guys get him?" Beverly asked

"I brought him home!" Penny said jumping in.

"You sure picked a cute one!" Beverly said to Penny.

"Thank you!" Penny said with pride, happy with her decision to bring him home.

"What did you guys name him?" Eli asked as he joined the group. Bolt looked over at Mittens, who instantly smiled, knowing that they would be blown away by the name choice. Penny smiled as well, even if it did go unnoticed.

"Seth!" Bolt said simply. Beverly's smile turned back into a wide open mouth, and within seconds, her eyes swelled up with tears.

"Wh…" Beverly began, but was unable to speak. Bolt just nodded as he knew what she was trying to say. Beverly then looked back at Seth, and instantly began letting the tears flow. Bolt walked up to her and pulled her into his shoulder, letting her cry away.

"You didn't have to!" Beverly whispered beneath his shoulder.

"Yeah I did!" Bolt said, only causing her to cry more. After about another five minutes, Beverly was able to stop balling, and the group talked for what seemed like hours, but was really only about 45 minutes. They talked about everything from the food dispensers being installed in the house to how much bigger Nova would be than Mittens when she was fully grown. Bolt knew he was getting close to proposing his idea to Eli and Beverly, and every second that passed only made him tenser.

"Well, before you guys head for home, I wanted to talk to you about something." Bolt began hoping everything would go well.

"What's up?" Eli asked

"Well, I'm beginning to worry a little about Nova's genetic enhancement, and how it's going to play out when she gets older." Bolt started what he knew would be a long conversation. Eli and Beverly were trying to comprehend what he was trying to tell them, still lost in the translation.

"What do you mean?" Eli asked once more.

"Well, we aren't her real parents, and sooner or later, she's gonna figure that out. I'm just not sure if we should mention that she has these powers." Bolt continued. Beverly then realized what he was trying to say.

"So you're gonna keep it a secret from her?" Beverly asked hoping she had found the right question.

"You said it yourself that you wanted a normal life for you pups, and if she never finds out about her powers, then that would be one less thing for you to worry about. We could tell her that she was adopted, which is technically true and she wouldn't have to constantly ask herself who her parents are." Bolt said. Eli and Beverly looked at each other before Eli spoke.

"If we were in your position, we'd probably do the same thing."

"We wish we could think of a better solution, but there are just too many hoops to jump through that neither you guys nor we have the time or patience for."

The more Bolt was saying, the more Beverly wanted to say that he was wrong; however, she knew that he had his reasons for wanting to keep Nova's abilities a secret.

"It's for the best!" Beverly said feeling somewhat defeated. Bolt could see that she wasn't happy with the outcome, because neither was he.

"I'm sorry Beverly! I really am!" Bolt apologized

"Bolt, don't be! You're looking out for her, and I'm so thankful that she has you as a father to raise her as normal as she can be. We're still not sure what's gonna happen when our pups are told the story about 'The Phantom Five'." Beverly said laughing a little, trying to keep her spirits up.

"We still want you guys to be a part of her life." Mittens said getting on the conversation.

"How do you want us to do that?" Eli asked

"Do you have any more of those digital picture frames, like the one you sent home with Bolt and Mittens?" Penny asked the pair.

"There might still be a few back at the warehouse." Beverly said

"If you can send us another one, then we could take pictures or videos and send them back on the frame to you guys in Bakersfield. I have a lot of cameras, and almost all of them can post pictures on a computer or frame." Penny suggested. Eli looked at Beverly wondering what she thought of the idea.

"That's a really good idea!" Beverly said feeling a little better about being in her daughter's life. Bolt smiled, happy that they could find some common ground.

"Well, we'll send you guys another frame." Beverly said happily.

"Great!" Bolt said smiling.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going. Our ride just pulled up." Eli said looking out the window. Bolt, Mittens, Rhino and Penny joined him at the window, where they saw the same van that dropped them off the week before. Rhino gasped as he saw the only piece of technology that might mean more to him than the TV, which Bolt couldn't help but smile at.

"I think Rhino's love has returned to him." Bolt said laughing.

"No kidding!" Mittens said smiling at the remark.

"Well, we'll hopefully see you guys soon. I don't want the picture frame to be the only way we see each other." Bolt said as he walked up to Beverly and gave her a tight hug.

"Neither do I!" Beverly said as she released the hug. Eli was just finishing his hug with Mittens, when he walked to Bolt one last time.

"We need to do this more often, but I know we can't… Please keep in touch! You're like a brother to me!" Eli said. Bolt nodded as he pulled the Ridgeback in for a hug.

"I plan on it!" Bolt said smiling, happy that the phrase they had grown to use so much was used even more than before. Eli and Beverly said their good-byes to Nova and Seth and walked out the front door, heading for the van. The two dogs looked back once more and waved at the group, who was still standing on the front porch waving right back, safe for Rhino who let out a salute. The door to the van shut, and they were off and heading back to Bakersfield, while Bolt, Mittens, Rhino and Penny walked back inside the house, where Catherine was setting Nova back in her bed. Bolt looked up at Penny and motioned her to follow him, as she followed him up the stairs to the attic entrance. Bolt sat down at the pull-down door to the attic, and Penny looked down at him, understanding what he was up to.

As they entered the attic, Penny opened a cardboard box right next to the door, and began to take Bolt's collar off, but stopped as she looked into Bolt's amber eyes, still saddened by his decision.

"I know you're upset!" Bolt said

"Well, yeah! But I know it's for the best." Penny said

"I'm sorry, Penny!" Bolt said just as heart-broken as she was.

"You ARE a great father!" Penny said smiling, which made Bolt smile in return.

I love you, Penny! Thank you!" Bolt said one last time before Penny shut the collar off, loosened it from Bolt's neck and placed it in the box. As she closed the box, and slid it back where it sat before, she looked over at Bolt and smiled; a stray tear falling down her cheek. The shepherd walked to Penny, and let her embrace him in a hug, as he rested his head against her chest.

"Hopefully, this isn't the last time we'll be seeing that collar." Penny said as she made her way down the attic steps, with Bolt in her arms. As their feet met the floor, Penny reached up and closed the door to the attic, and the two walked back to the first floor to continue on with their day.

**End of Chapter**

You can now breathe! I have returned to the house of Bolt, and brought the gift of a sequel. If it weren't for the numerous reviews from numerous fans, I wouldn't be writing this story. I love how many ideas were sent into me for this new chapter, so sit back and enjoy the ride, because this… is just the beginning. Let's get 'Decoded!'

Adios!


	2. Puzzle Pieces

Welcome to Chapter 2 of the sequel! When we last saw everyone, it was only about a week after the mission; however, about 8 months have passed since then. In that time, Nova has grown into a beautiful dog, and Seth has also become a very handsome young feline. Bolt and Mittens have done their best to keep everything in order, but things are about to get a little shaky due to one slip-of-the-tongue from a little troublemaker…Rhino!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its character. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Puzzle Pieces**

Things have slowed down a bit around the Russo house. Penny was finishing her sophomore year of high school, Bolt and Mittens are still the ones who run the house, even if Nova and Seth may not always like it that way, and Nova is always on the lookout for a new adventure. On a warm afternoon, Nova and Bolt are outside enjoying the sunshine, playing in the backyard, and just having some father/daughter time.

"You know, when your mother and I first met, she would throw that stick for me. It's nice having someone else who doesn't get annoyed with it as quickly as she does." Bolt said to Nova, causing her to laugh as they both caught their breaths.

"I heard that!" Mittens shouted from the top step of the back porch as she watched the two of them play. Nova was at about shoulder height of Bolt, which only made her about 25% smaller than him. Days like this were what Bolt lived for, when he could just spend time with his family.

"It's a dog thing, mom!" Nova shouted back at Mittens, who just rolled her eyes and smiled. Seth walked through the back doggy door to join his mom on the porch.

"Hey mom!" Seth said from behind.

"Hey honey!" Mittens said as she looked behind her to see her son sit beside her.

"Are they still going at it?" Seth asked somewhat surprised.

"Yeah! I got tired of keeping track of the time, so I just kinda let them go for as long as they want."

"It's already 3:50pm. You could be out here for a while."

"Is it really 3:50pm?" Mittens asked as she turned her head to look at Seth.

"Yeah! Penny will be home any minute!" Seth responded. Mittens turned back around, amazed at just how much time had gone by since lunch. As she continued to think, Penny's school bus pulled up at the end of the street, where she began walking to her house from the bus stop. The black cat stood up and made her way down the porch to get Bolt and Nova's attention.

"Guys, Penny's back!" Mittens said. Bolt and Nova stopped what they were doing and both plastered smiles on their faces, as they made their way to Penny, who was just walking around to the backyard.

"Hey you two! Are you happy to see me?" Penny asked as the two dogs jumped up and down. Penny walked along the pathway to her front porch, where she began thinking about Bolt, and how much she missed hearing his voice. _Why did you have to give up the collar, Bolt? I feel like I've lost a part of you. _Penny thought to herself as she made it to the front door. Penny unlocked the front door of the house and set her backpack down on the couch, where she saw Rhino, as usual, sitting on the couch watching a spy movie.

"Hey Rhino! Anything good on?" Penny asked as she sat down next to the hamster, who just continued to stare at the screen. After about another 20 minutes, Bolt, Mittens and the kids walked through the doggy door to rest in the living room with Penny and Rhino. As they began to lie down, Penny could hear the steady, yet heavy, breathing coming from Bolt and Nova.

"Did you two overdue it today?" Penny asked once more, but this time smiling seeing the cuteness of the scene. Mittens and Seth jumped onto the couch and laid their heads on one of the cushions.

"Dogs!" Seth said blankly, which didn't go unnoticed by Nova.

Oh, bite me!" Nova said as she turned around to look at Seth, getting a little agitated. Bolt extended his forearm around his daughter's shoulder to keep her from killing her brother.

"Take it easy, sweetie!"

"Sorry, daddy!" Nova said, as Bolt began to rub her shoulder with the same arm. Little did Nova know that Bolt was glaring at Seth, giving him the 'don't push it' look. Seth turned away, never enjoying the times that his father stared him down.

**(Just after dinner)**

Nova climbed the stairs and walked into Penny's room, where a long day of exercise had finally caught up with her. She lay down in the corner she usually sleeps in, and waited for at least 20 minutes to fall asleep, but it never happened. Feeling defeated, she got up and headed out into the hall, where she could hear talking from the first floor.

"Bolt, it's here." Penny said as Nova made it to the steps, but stopped short of starting her descent to hear what it was they were talking about. She could hear Bolt and Mittens talking, but couldn't quite catch what they were saying. Spying from the top step, Nova poked her head out to see what it was they were talking about. It looked like a photo frame, and she could see her parents smiling, and wondered what was so special about it. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Penny and her parents coming for the stairs. She backed up quickly and dove for the bathroom, careful to avoid being detected.

"We can watch it in here. Nova's sleeping in my room." Penny said ushering the cat and dog into the spare bedroom. Nova didn't understand why they would avoid her because of some picture frame.

"What are you guys hiding?" Nova whispered to herself, as she slowly crept across the hallway. Halfway between the bathroom and spare bedroom, Bolt opened the door to see his daughter walking towards him, which immediately startled Nova as she met his eyes.

"Oh, hey daddy!"

"Hey honey! Did you just get up?" Bolt asked

"Uh… yeah! I… couldn't sleep, so I was just heading downstairs." Nova invented, hoping her father would believe her.

"Okay, well we'll be back downstairs in just a few minutes. Rhino is watching 'Casino Royale', so he'll be on the couch with Seth if you need anything." Bolt informed his daughter.

"Okay!" Nova said as she slowly walked down the stairs, with a confused face that was hidden from Bolt.

**(Spare Bedroom)**

Bolt walked back inside the room, and closed the door behind him.

"Who were you talking to?" Mittens asked.

"Nova! She just woke up and I heard her say something before I opened the door, but I couldn't understand her. It's like she was mumbling or something." Bolt said as he jumped onto the bed, and Penny started the slide show on the digital frame. Almost every picture showed the pups as they grew older, each with their own loves and interests. One picture showed Jack holding a spatula in his mouth, which Penny and Bolt couldn't help but laugh at. One showed Levi carrying Valerie on his back and both of them smiling. After about 35 pictures, the show went from photos to a video.

"_Hey guys! It's only been 3 months and it seems like it's been so much longer. We love the pictures of Nova and Seth you sent us. Nova looks so much like her father, it's almost scary. When it comes to everyone here, Jack spends most of his time in the kitchen helping Kelly 'cook'. Nichole is the runner of the family, and usually wares the both of us out within maybe a half an hour. Carmen has occupied most of her time, by spending it with the neighbor dog, Gabe." _Beverly said before Eli jumped in for a few seconds.

"_Which I am NOT happy about, by the way!" _Eli said getting his time in, while Beverly just laughed.

"_Oh, he's a nice guy. It's amazing just how much they've grown up in the last six months. As for Levi and Valerie, they never go anywhere or do anything without one thing… each other. Just like the last 6 months. They're so much like you two!" _Beverly said once more, and Eli jumped in to get some camera time.

"_I got a hold of Simone and Preston, and they're back in California. They said training was great, and they've already got about 8 recruits each for their teams. As for their love life, they're still keeping THAT a secret." _Eli said smiling, while Beverly gave him an elbow to the shoulder, trying to get him to shut up. Bolt, Mittens and Penny just laughed at the scene.

"_Can we please edit that part out?" _Beverly asked Kelly, who was holding the camera.

"_No way, baby! They haven't seen or heard from us in a month. They're gonna get this footage raw." _Eli said trying to be funny.

"_Well, guys! We better get going! Send us some more pictures and videos of those two. They get along so well for being a cat and dog AND brother and sister. Bye guys!"_ Beverly said as she and Eli waved to the camera before it shut off. As the screen went black, the pictures from the beginning of the slide show began to play again, while 'These Are My People' by Rodney Atkins started to play.

"They think those two get along? They haven't seen them on a bad day!" Bolt said sarcastically.

"It's nice to see they're fans of country." Penny said. Bolt jumped down to the floor and walked to the door, waiting for Penny to open it. As Bolt and Mittens made their way down the stairs to join Rhino, Nova and Seth, Penny waltzed to the entrance to the attic, and pulled down the door. As she poked her head inside, she grabbed the box marked 'Bolt's stuff', and placed the frame inside, where one month from now, she would download pictures and videos of their own and send it back to Eli and Beverly.

**(9:49 pm)**

The rest of the night was fairly quiet, which made Bolt a little nervous; just due to the fact that Nova is usually at her happiest around the late evening. Mittens could sense his tense state while they were sitting together on the couch.

"Alright guys, I'm off to bed!" Penny said getting off the couch, with Bolt, Mittens and Seth following close behind. The fact that Seth was ready for bed somewhat surprised Bolt as they walked to the stairs.

"YOU are ready for bed? Are you feelin' okay?" Bolt asked jokingly putting his paw over Seth's forehead to 'check his temperature.'

"Very funny! I'm not feeling too good, and would rather just rest." Seth said somewhat out of it, which now caused Bolt to have genuine worry.

"Are you okay?" Bolt asked

"My head's killing me, but I just need to get away from the bright lights." Seth said

"Okay, let's go!" Bolt said softly, figuring loud speaking would only make his son's headache worse. As he waved Mittens and Seth up the stairs, he turned back to look at Rhino and Nova.

"Hey! Lights out at midnight!" Bolt ordered

"Okay!" Nova and Rhino said simultaneously, while Bolt turned back around and walked up to Penny's room to get some rest of his own. Back on the first floor, Nova and Rhino were finishing an episode of 'Small Ville', which was one of Nova's favorite shows, just because she liked the lead actor. As the credits began to roll, Nova decided to strike up a conversation.

"He's pretty hot for a human." Nova said complimenting Tom Welling's appearance.

"True, but the special effects are too easy to spot." Rhino said

"Well, duh! There's no such thing as a decent superhero TV show, but still."

"Oh, if only you knew!" Rhino mumbled under his breath, fairly sure that Nova wouldn't hear him. She did.

"Knew what?" Nova asked. Rhino's eyes instantly went wide, and was at a loss for words, which made Nova wonder what he was trying so hard to keep a secret.

"Rhino?" Nova asked slowly, knowing that he was hiding something.

"I'm gonna go to bed!" Rhino said as he frantically dashed to the stairs, where he tried to make a quick getaway, but was cut short by Nova jumping in front of him, blocking his exit. _Whoa! How high did she just jump? That had to have been a 10-foot bound! _Rhino thought to himself, more stricken with fear from her jump than her staring him down. Rhino backed up a few feet, with the large dog following his every move.

"I don't care if you're my uncle; I will pry the truth out of you if I have to. Talk!" Nova said forcefully, but in a quiet tone, not wanting her parents to hear what was going on downstairs. Rhino began to panic a little before finally giving in after about 20 seconds of coming up with nothing.

"Okay! Follow me!" Rhino said in a slump, as he rolled to the movie cabinet, with Nova trailing behind.

"What I'm about to show you, you can't tell your mom and dad about. Understand?" Rhino asked, figuring it was his turn to be stern.

"What's the big dea…" Nova started before being cut off by Rhino.

"Do… you… understand?" Rhino asked once more, this time scaring Nova a little.

"Alright… I understand!" Nova said quietly still shaken from Rhino raising his voice. She had never seen Rhino get so defensive before, and didn't quite know how to react. The hamster began pulling video tapes out from the cabinet and squeezed his way to the back. When he crawled back out, he had a DVD set peering through the whole in the videos he had made to get back to his destination. Nova grabbed the DVD's with her teeth and set it down in front of her, as Rhino made his way back out. Nova's mouth dropped to the floor as she stared at the DVD pack… 'Bolt: Season 1'.

"Dad?" Nova asked able to muster a whisper to counteract the complete shock she was in, as she looked back at Rhino.

"What is this?" Nova asked

"This is Season 1 of your dad's TV show." Rhino said

"Dad was… an actor?"

"Yep! And a be-awesome one at that! You wanna watch the first episode?" Rhino asked smiling.

"Um… sure!" Nova said still trying to process everything that happened. Rhino took Disc 1 from its compartment, and placed it in the DVD drive, and pressed 'play' on Episode 1. For the next 20 minutes, the pair sat on the couch and watched Bolt take down bad guys left and right, and still save Penny in the end. Nova never took her eyes off of the screen for one second, not wanting to miss a thing, as she watched her father and Penny race from action scene to action scene. As the episode wrapped up, Nova and Rhino looked at each other; Rhino with nervousness on his face, and Nova with a look of shock and confusion.

"See? There ARE some pretty cool superheroes out there. I was, and still am, his biggest fan." Rhino said trying to break the silence with a little small talk.

"Why didn't you guys ever say anything?" Nova asked getting right to the point; exactly what Rhino was trying to avoid.

"Your dad didn't want you getting wrapped up in the world of showbiz. The reason this show isn't on the air anymore is because your father almost died in a studio fire, and Penny's mom and Penny wanted nothing more to do with it." Rhino explained to the young husky. Nova looked at the ground to think a little.

"He knew you'd like this life so much more… and you do, don't you?" Rhino said trying to convince her that Bolt was right to keep that part of his life hidden.

"I do… but I want to talk to Mom and Dad about this whole thing." Nova said; her mind made up. Rhino sighed in frustration, hoping she wouldn't say that.

"Nova, we had a deal that we weren't…" Rhino began before she jumped in.

"The least you guys could do is tell me the truth… all of you. You owe me that much!" Nova said

"Ugh… Okay! We'll talk about this in the morning. We'll talk with them after lunch so we can explain what happened while Penny is at school." Rhino said.

"Fine!" Nova said giving in.

"Thank you! Now, could you help me put these movies back?" Rhino asked, to which Nova nodded and helped him place every DVD back in its original slot, while the 'Bolt' DVD set was put behind the couch for tomorrow's talk.

"Okay, I've had enough excitement for one day. I'm gonna go to bed." Nova said, as she made her way up the stairs to join her mom and dad in Penny's room.

"Sleep well!" Rhino said, as he perched himself on the arm of the couch, and shut off the TV. Normally, he would be watching TV until who knows how late, but now he had bigger thoughts on him mind.

_What just happened? Now, I don't care about telling Bolt and Mittens about the TV show, because that's not the biggest secret we're keeping from her. What I can't get over is how she was able to jump that high and that far without a running start. It's almost like… her genetic DNA is coming to life. _Rhino thought as he began to wonder what other abilities she has. _Oh! This is NOT gonna end well; I can already feel it. _

Rhino buried his small face in the couch cushion, and groaned in agony. He sat there for a good while, knowing that sleep wasn't going to happen tonight.

**End of Chapter**

Good God! Rhino, what have you done? Well, he hasn't given away the biggest secret, and that's what matters for now. However, Nova is very good at 'connecting the dots' and this could be no exception. Will she discover the truth behind her REAL heritage? You'll find out in later chapters, but for now, I must leave. I've got some work to do.

Adios!


	3. The NotWhole Truth

I'll be honest with you guys; I thought this chapter was gonna take a long time to get started, just because of my busy work schedule (I'm finally getting full-time at Subway, so writing has been a bit challenging.) But, I have found time in the late evenings to do my writings, and Chapter 3 will either be really good because of my compiled ideas, or really bad because of lack of sleep. I guess you'll just have to read and find out.

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its character. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**The Not-Whole Truth**

Nova didn't sleep at all the night before, wondering how she was going to ask her father about the TV show. She didn't understand why it was such a big deal for them to never say anything about it. _Rhino said it was because they didn't want me growing up in the world of showbiz, but I wouldn't want to be on TV anyway; it's much more fun watching someone else do it. Maybe that's why I liked watching Dad on his show, because I see him all the time running around in the yard with me, and I could see him being a superhero. _Nova continued to think as she looked at the clock on Penny's dresser, which read **2:52am**. She also glanced over in the corner her parents were laying in, seeing her father's arms wrapped around her mom's chest. The more she thought about how much she loved the normal life, the more she realized that she was happy with the decision her father made to leave Hollywood. _I guess Hollywood CAN be insane. I've watched enough reality shows to understand why he wanted THIS life instead of the life of an actor. If I were born into that, I'd probably want it, too. But I'd much rather see Dad as a REAL superhero than a fake one._

Rhino was still on the couch downstairs, going over all of the possible powers that Nova had. _She might have x-ray vision, or super-speed, or invisibility, or maybe even force fields. _The more Rhino thought about the number of powers she possessed, the more excited he got. He loved seeing 'The Phantom Five' take down Lamb and Ferris back in LA, and for the next generation of superdogs to fight crime, he couldn't think of anything cooler.

Morning seemed to feel so far away for both Nova and Rhino. As the sun broke over the horizon, Penny began squirming in her sheets, and suddenly heard a small yelp, which instantly woke her up. As she looked around, she saw nothing around the room except for Bolt and Mittens getting up, probably due to the noise as well. Then, Penny felt a light push on her lower back, and turned over to see Seth lying in her bed, tangled in loose sheets. It didn't take long for Penny to realize that she had accidently rolled over on top of Seth, nearly crushing him and causing him to scream.

"Oh Seth. I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" Penny said as she picked him up to see if he had any injuries, only to discover that he was fine; just a little shaken up.

"Sorry buddy!" Penny said once more before setting him down onto the floor, as Bolt and Mittens walked over to make sure that their son wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Mittens asked

"Yeah, just give me a minute to see straight." Seth said; the room spinning a little, as he started to tumble as he tried walking.

"Whoa! Easy son." Bolt said making every attempt that he could to keep his son on all fours. After about a minute of dizziness, Seth was finally able to see clearly, but that didn't stop Bolt from being the protector that he was, and taking every precaution that he could to make sure Seth was fine.

"Here, climb on! I'll carry you down the stairs." Bolt said crouching down so that Seth could get on his father's shoulders.

"I can walk, you know!"

"It took you two minutes to gain your sight back. You think I trust you on two flights of stairs?"

"Alright, I'm comin'"

Mittens watched as her boys walked down the hallway and towards the stairs, but noticed before she left Penny's room that Nova wasn't in her bed. Mittens figured that she must be downstairs, and walked to the first floor to see if her prediction was correct. As she made it to the living room, she looked all around to see where everyone went, only to hear the chewing of food coming from the kitchen.

"There you guys are." Mittens said

"Sorry, baby!" Bolt said apologetically. Mittens shrugged her shoulders and walked to her bowl, which Catherine had just finished filling.

"There you go, Mittens!"

Penny walked into the kitchen, where she reached for the cereal on the top shelf and sat down at the table to start her day as well. As Mittens looked around the room, she still didn't see Nova anywhere, which only made her worry a little.

"Hey Bolt. Where's Nova?" Mittens asked

"Oh, she's outside with Rhino. She already ate and now's full of energy."

**(Outside)**

"Rhino, I don't wanna wait any longer than I absolutely have to to talk to Dad about his TV show."

"Okay, well at least let them wake up. It's about 8 o'clock right now, so does 10 work better?"

"It's sooner than lunch."

"Look, I know you're eager to talk to your father about this, but he doesn't know what happened last night. There's one more thing I wanna ask you."

"What is it?"

"Are you still upset about the choice he made to live this life?"

"No… I was, but after thinking about it a lot last night, it's making more sense now."

Rhino let out a deep sigh of relief, but made sure to keep it contained, not wanting Nova to see his sudden change of mood. He knew that for Nova to know about the TV show wouldn't be as big of a deal as her finding out that she was adopted. The two of them walked through the doggy door to rejoin the rest of the family as they finished breakfast. In practically no time at all, Penny was off to school, Catherine was off to work, and the day was about to go on as usual, or so Bolt and Mittens thought. As the ten o'clock hour rolled around, Mittens was sitting in the living room watching TV with Seth and Rhino, while Bolt and Nova were just walking in the back door from taking a walk around the farm.

"Hey guys!" Bolt said to the group.

"Hey Dad!" Seth said as he turned his attention to his father. Nova looked over at Rhino, who gave her a small nod to let her know that now was the time.

"Mom! Dad! I need to talk to you guys about something." Nova said

"Can we talk in a few minutes? When I've gained my energy back?" Bolt asked his daughter as he crashed on the floor at the foot of the couch. Rhino rolled his eyes and reached for the remote, shutting off the TV. As soon as it happened, Bolt lifted his head in Rhino's direction, who had a serious look on his face. Bolt soon became anxious at the thought of Rhino shutting off the TV; however, in the past, he usually had a good reason for it. Bolt then looked back over at Nova, and Mittens soon did the same, wondering what this was all about.

"Okay! You've got my attention!" Bolt said as he listened to what Nova had to say.

"Rhino!" Nova motioned to him, and he nodded, understanding exactly what she wanted him to do. The small hamster jumped down from the arm of the sofa, and walked behind it; only to return with the DVD set he had pulled from the movie cabinet the night before. Bolt and Mittens' eyes quickly widened when they saw it, but Seth still seemed somewhat puzzled by the unknown box.

"What's that?" Seth asked.

"It's a… a DVD set!" Bolt said quietly.

"Of what?" Seth asked once more.

"Of Dad's TV show!" Nova said answering the question for her father. Seth instantly turned his focus to his parents, who didn't seem too pleased with the makeshift interrogation.

"I can explain!" Bolt said

"I sure hope so." Nova said with a smart-alecky tone.

"Hey, you watch your mouth!" Bolt said with authority; however, the tactic seemed to do little to phase Nova.

"Why didn't you ever tell us about this?" Nova asked

"Because I didn't think I would need to… That TV show ruined the first five years of my life. The entire time, I thought it was all real. All of the special effects that they created, all of the powers I thought I had, I didn't. It took a cross-country trip, an alley cat, and a little brown fur ball to help me realize that." Bolt finished as he looked over at Rhino, smirking a little, but soon turned his attention back to his daughter.

"How did you find out, anyway?" Bolt asked curiously. Before Nova could answer the question, Rhino jumped in to save her from saying too much.

"Last night, we were watching 'Small Ville', and talking back and forth about TV superheroes, and eventually I ended up showing her this." Rhino said waving his paw in front of the DVD's.

"He told me about the fire, and how you almost died. I now understand why you didn't want us living like that. I didn't at first, but now I see that you were just looking out for us." Nova said jumping back in. Bolt looked back over at the DVD's and felt like he may have kept too much of his life a secret from his kids. Seth couldn't take the silence much more, and eventually broke it with a question he had been waiting to ask since he had seen the movie set.

"So, you were an actor?" Seth asked

"Yeah! I watched the first episode last night with Rhino, and it was awesome!" Nova told her brother, smiling.

"You guys wanna watch it?" Rhino asked the family.

"Heck yeah!" Seth said nearly jumping up and down.

"You guys go ahead! I wanna talk to Dad alone for a minute." Nova said getting Bolt's attention. Bolt, hearing this, jumped to his feet and followed Nova, who led him to the spare bedroom.

"Honey, I know you're upset, but I…" Bolt started speaking before being cut off.

"No, no, no, no, I'm not upset anymore. I already told you that!"

"Then what's wrong?"

"Well… I wanted to ask you something. Was that 'cross-country trip' where you met Mom?" Nova asked, to which Bolt smiled and laughed at before he answered.

"Mhmm. She was the alley cat I mentioned. You know the 'Green-Eyed Man' from the TV show?"

"Yeah!"

"When I first met her, I thought she was one of his agents."

"What?" Nova asked shocked.

"Yeah! Back in LA, I fell into a shipping box after knocking myself out (don't ask), and it was addressed to New York. When I made it to the streets, some pigeons told me I could get all the answers I needed from her, so they told me where I could find her.

"What happened?"

"Well… Still thinking she was one of his agents, I ran up to her and shoved her against a brick wall. After about a half a day of convincing, I realized that none of my powers were real. So, on the way back, she showed me how to be a real dog. She taught me how to play fetch, beg from humans, and socialize with other dogs… even drink from toilets."

"Classy!" Nova said trying to hold back a laugh.

"Hey, I was still learning?" Bolt said trying to defend his position of not knowing any better.

"And after you made it back home, she came to live with you?"

"Yep! And about two months later, we became mates." Bolt said reminiscing the times that he and Mittens shared together. Nova loved seeing her father think back at those times, some of which she wished she had been there to see. Bolt then snapped out of his thoughts, and looked at the floor, even more deep in thought.

"I'm sorry I never told you."

"You shouldn't be, Dad! I like this life better anyways." Nova said smiling, which made Bolt smile back as he walked over to his daughter and hugged her. Nova buried her face in Bolt's shoulder, happy to have that part of his life out in the open.

"However, you DO need to watch that stubborn attitude of yours, young lady." Bolt said somewhat jokingly, but still wanted to make sure she thought a little more before she spoke.

"Mom says that I get it from you." Nova said as she walked out the door.

"What else has she told you?" Bolt asked himself as he trailed behind her out the door.

**(10:00pm)**

What was supposed to be just the first episode turned into the first six. Seth got so into it, he practically planted himself on the couch for the next three hours, watching it with the rest of the family. The evening came quicker than usual, probably due to the morning's events. Bolt and Mittens were sitting in Penny's room, as they prepared for bed, and Mittens couldn't help but notice that something was on Bolt's mind.

"What are you thinking about?" Mittens asked. Bolt had no idea just how close of attention she was paying to his facial expressions.

"Uh… just about what happened today. I can't help but think that maybe we kept too much of our past lives from our kids." Bolt said sighing a little.

"Well, you had a good reason for it. And I'm sure that Nova and Seth are happy with the way things turned out."

"I'm sure they are. I just hope we made the right choice." Bolt said still feeling frustrated. Mittens curled up next to Bolt, placing her head against his chest and listening to his heartbeat, which sped up rapidly as the seconds ticked by.

"Do I really excite you that much?" Mittens asked laughing a little.

"I don't need to answer that. You already know." Bolt said seductively. Mittens grinned at the thoughts that were on her canine's mind. The pair moved underneath Penny's bed, where there was more privacy, and enjoyed the night together; in more ways than one.

**(The Back Porch)**

Nova was sitting on the top step, while Seth perched himself on the banister as the two of them talked.

"You don't sound as shocked about this as I am." Nova said

"Here's the difference: I'm happy with the way things turned out."

"I'm happy with this life too."

"Will you stop lying to yourself? You want more adventure in your life, and you can't have that here."

"For Dad to give up the crappy world of Hollywood to have this life, I'm grateful that he did. You're right; I do want more adventure, but I can't help it. I feel like I don't belong here. I feel like I should be doing something more productive with my life."

"You want a job?"

"Knock it off! I want to see the world, not the backyard. Anyway, that's not the reason I called you out here."

"Okay… so what is?"

"I was watching the Discovery channel the other day, and a segment came on that was talking about mating."

"Nova, I don't need to hear about th..."

"No, no, no, not that! They talked about dog and cat mating. They said that dogs and cats CAN be mates, but they CAN'T have kids… So, does something sound off with this picture of our family?"

"Wait!... you think that… are you serious?"

"Seth, I'm adopted! For Mom to be my actual birth mom is impossible. Dad might be the real thing, but Mom isn't."

"Oh man! So, what are the chances that I am too?"

"Well, you actually have a chance that she's your real mom, but there may be the possibility… it just makes me think about what else they're hiding. It makes more sense, because I'm hardly anything like Mom."

"Yeah, but you are daddy's little girl."

"Do you wanna live to see your first birthday?" Nova asked laughing. The two siblings enjoyed the peace of the night for about another hour before heading back inside to get some sleep. It really WAS amazing just how well they got along for being dog and cat siblings. When it came to the issue of adoption, Nova and Seth thought it best to wait a little while before asking their parents about that. They ALL had enough surprises for one week.

**End of Chapter**

OH NOOOO! Nova and Seth know more about their lives than Bolt and Mittens thought. I hope you guys are enjoying the sequel to 'The Adventure Continues', and there will be more 'reunions' to come. You're just gonna have to wait for them. Love you guys!

Adios!


	4. Watch for the Signs

Well, we've seen the reaction from Bolt and Mittens when it comes to their daughter's discovery of the TV show, but there's one more item of business that still needs to be taken care of… Nova's superpowers. What more could be revealed in this chapter? Read and find out.

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Watch for the Signs**

**(The Next Morning)**

Rhino was just waking up, and almost immediately forgot that he never mentioned Nova's mega jump the other night to Bolt and Mittens. As he looked at the clock on the wall, which read 7:31, he debated going upstairs and waking them up, but figured that there was a chance that they would already be up and moving. The small hamster hopped from step to step, and eventually made it to the top of the second floor, panting and already exhausted.

"I… need to get off the couch more…Nah!" Rhino said between pants, and realizing what he had just said. Walking past the spare bedroom, he noticed that the door was wide open. _What the… _Rhino began thinking before he saw who was inside. Sleeping on the rug in front the bed were Nova and Seth; Nova leaned up against the front bed board with her arm extended over Seth, who was near her head, and both of them sleeping soundly. Rhino put on the 'This is so cute. Where is Penny's camera when I need it' face. After about 20 more seconds of staring, and nearly crying because it was so cute, he proceeded to Penny's door and nudged it open.

"She never DOES close the door completely. Oh well, it means I don't have to climb to the doorknob." Rhino said to himself as he took his first few steps inside. As he looked around, he noticed Bolt climbing out from underneath Penny's bed, and instantly knew why.

"Did you have an eventful night?" Rhino asked sarcastically, which made Bolt jump some; having not seen Rhino watching him.

"I'm not complaining!" Bolt said with a smirk.

"Too much information, Bolt! Too much information!"

"What time is it?"

"It's about 7:30. I was just wondering if you were awake, because I need to talk to you."

"Do you need me to wake Mittens up?"

"No, it's okay! We'll just tell her later."

"What is it?"

"Well… the night that Nova found out about your TV show, I tried running for the stairs, and she jumped in front of me."

"So?"

"Bolt, I'm not just talking about a little pounce, I'm talking about at least a 10-foot bound from the couch cushion to the bottom step… without a running start." Rhino said explaining it in more detail. Bolt still needed a few more seconds to process the information, but as soon as he did, a look of complete shock and dread covered his face.

"Get it?"

"Oh no!" Bolt said practically groaning with frustration.

"Yeah, and I spent most of that night wondering what other powers she has. She's the product of a geneticist's dream come true."

"Did she realize it?"

"I… I don't think so. She was more intent on stopping me from running than anything else." Rhino explained. Even if she didn't notice her abilities, it didn't make Bolt feel any better; if anything, it just made him feel more uneasy.

"What should we do?" Rhino asked

"I was afraid you were gonna ask me that… uh, I'm not sure. If she starts asking questions, we may have to tell her that she was adopted."

"She's gonna want to know who her real parents are. Should we tell her?"

"Well, if she asks us if we know them, then we should. I'm tired of keeping secrets about her past."

"Bolt, Beverly and Eli wanted a normal life for her, just like you do. She may be their daughter, but she's also yours. You have your reasons." Rhino said trying to assure the shepherd that he had Nova's best interests in mind.

"…maybe they aren't enough."

"Well, when and if the time comes, there's no shame in telling her the whole truth. I'm amazed that she hasn't already figured out that she isn't really your daughter, just because of how much digging she's already done." Rhino said laughing, which Bolt laughed at as well.

"Her and Seth both!"

"Speaking of those two, you are gonna want to come see this." Rhino said trying to get Bolt to follow him.

"See what?"

"Just come on." Rhino said as he led Bolt out of Penny's room and to the doorway of the spare bedroom. When Bolt looked inside, his mouth dropped a little as he stared at his kids sleeping peacefully. They were in the same position that they were in when Rhino had walked by the first time.

"Oh God!" Bolt whispered.

"Isn't this just cute? I walked up here and saw the door wide open, and when I looked inside… well, you know." Rhino said, not really needing to say much else.

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'be-awesome'." Bolt said walking out the door, and down the stairs. Rhino just sat there with a look of pride, as he began to tear up.

"That's my boy… (sniffle) The 1/16 wolf with a little wolverine words will live on." Rhino said in a dramatic text, which he made sure Bolt could hear from the first floor. Within another 20 minutes, Mittens was up and walking down the stairs to join her mate on the front porch as they watched Penny head for the bus stop.

"Hey Bolt!"

"Hey baby!" Bolt said as the two of them kissed.

"How did you sleep?" Bolt asked

"After last night, I slept like a rock!" Mittens said as she stared into Bolt's amber eyes.

"Did you see Nova and Seth in the spare bedroom?"

"Yes. I'm almost a little worried… just because those two are usually never that close. I mean they're close, but I've never seen THAT before." Mittens said. Bolt laughed a little at the comment.

"Hey, let's just be happy they're getting along." Bolt counteracted, which Mittens couldn't help but agree with.

"I wasn't the only one who thought it was adorable." Bolt continued

"Rhino thinks anything that has to do with those two is adorable." Mittens said thinking she already knew who he was talking about.

"Who said it was Rhino?" Bolt asked his mate. Mittens turned to face Bolt, still confused by what he meant.

"Follow me." Bolt said leading Mittens back into the house to show her what he was talking about.

**(The Spare Bedroom)**

Nova began to stir as she woke up; dragging her front paw over Seth's back, causing him to jump. The grey striped cat got up and stretched before realizing where he was.

"I can't believe we fell asleep. It wasn't even that late." Seth said

"Yeah, no kidding! I don't remember much of anything past 10:30."

"Well, we came back inside at about 10:00, and came in here to talk some more. I think we fell asleep after I started bobbing my head up and down trying to stay awake." Seth said laughing, which Nova also laughed at.

"Yeah, you looked pretty out of it."

Seth looked at his sister; a little annoyed by the remark. Even though she got on his nerves, he was happy to have someone to talk to other than his parents and Rhino. Nova was also grateful to have a brother that would, if anything, just listen. As they continued to think, Seth looked over at the door, and noticed that it was open wide.

"What?" Nova asked

"What do you think went through Mom and Dad's minds when they saw us asleep in here? I could just picture them saying 'Ah, how cute' and 'they're getting along? No way!'" Seth said imitating his parents, while Nova just laughed at his comedic impersonations. The more Nova laughed, the easier it was for Seth to laugh along with her.

"Alright! Let's get outta here!" Nova said as she tried to stop laughing.

"Yeah. I'm starving." Seth followed up; following her out of the room. As they made it to the living room, they saw their parents sitting on the couch, but staring down at the coffee table and smiling. The siblings stared at each other with confusion plastered all over their faces.

"Uh guys." Nova said breaking the silence. Bolt and Mittens looked up and saw their kids standing at the base of the stairs.

"Hey you two!" Bolt said in a cute tone.

"What's… goin' on?" Seth asked, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. Bolt waved his paw towards himself, telling the two of them to join him and Mittens on the couch. As they jumped to their parents' level, they glanced down at the coffee table to see what all of the fuss was about. Lying before them was a snapshot of Nova and Seth sleeping on the floor in the spare bedroom, and within a split second, the husky and tabby's eyes went completely blank. Bolt and Mittens knew that they would be embarrassed by the photograph, and couldn't hold in the cheesy smiles they were trying so desperately to hide.

"Uh… we uh…" Nova began before being cut off by Bolt and Mittens bursting out into insane laughter and rolling around on the couch cushion. Nova and Seth looked at their parents, and then looked back at each other; Bolt and Mittens still laughing like crazy. Seth couldn't help but start laughing himself, knowing that it was pretty funny, and eventually Nova joined the mass laugh session. After at least another minute of uncontrollable howling, the family finally wiped away the tears of laugher, and settled down enough to talk normally.

"So, what was THIS all about anyway?" Bolt asked pointing at the picture.

"Oh, Seth and I were talking on the back porch last night, and we moved inside to avoid freezing." Nova said starting to explain.

"We went to the spare room, and fell asleep after about another half an hour." Seth said jumping in.

"You just stayed in there?" Mittens asked

"Neither of us wanted to move. We were so tired; Seth started bobbing his head up and down, trying to stay awake. So, we just called it a night."

"Gotcha… So what were you guys talking about?" Bolt asked

"Just about everything that happened this week. She told me about the trip you guys took back to LA." Seth said jumping back in, which Nova was very thankful for. She was never good at coming up with lies on the spot, so it was nice to know that her brother had her back. His lies were so much more believable, and Seth knew that. She wasn't ready to bring up the topic of 'adoption' just yet, but she would eventually say something sooner or later.

"Is that what all that laughing was about last night?" Bolt asked his kids.

"Yeah, pretty much!" Seth said.

"It's nice to see you two getting along so well." Bolt said

"Whoa, Déjà vu!" Seth whispered to Nova, who let out a small snort at the remark.

"What's so funny?" Bolt asked

"Nothing!" Nova and Seth said simultaneously before running for the doggy door, with Bolt hot on their tails.

"You guys are gonna get it!" Bolt said as he and Mittens chased the brother and sister out the door and all around the backyard. Eventually, Bolt and Mittens caught up with them, and were filled in on their little joke that they were talking about when they first woke up that morning. For the rest of the morning, the four of them played their hearts out, and were all out of energy by lunchtime. The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, and that meant Bolt and Mittens could nap all they wanted, just because they weren't busy chasing their kids. After Penny got home from school, she took them for a walk to the park, and got back home at around 5. The night came even quicker, and with so much energy burned during the day, sleep would not be an issue for any of them. However, something seemed to be off, and no one seemed to notice until Nova asked herself.

"I haven't seen Rhino at all today! I wonder where he is." Nova began a search, while the rest of the family stayed in the kitchen and waited for dinner. The husky started up the stairs and looked in every room she could find; even trying the closets. After every attempt, she came up empty-pawed, and began to worry.

"I better go tell Dad!" Nova told herself, and began walking down the hallway before the pull-down door to the attic came down right in front of her. Nearly hitting her in the face, she stepped back a few feet in fear, and hid in Catherine's room. As she peered around the corner of the door, she saw Rhino bounding down the attic steps with a huge smile on his face. The hamster continued to walk to the stairway as the attic door closed itself. Nova stepped out of the room cautiously before looking up at the ceiling, and wondering what Rhino was doing up there.

"What could a hamster do in a dark attic for more than 8 hours straight?" Nova asked herself in a whispered tone. Whatever it was, it must have been pretty important for Rhino to keep it from everyone. The adventurous side of her kicked in, and she walked down stairs to join the family for dinner, as casual as possible.

"There you are!" Mittens said

"Yeah, sorry about that. I went upstairs to rest and my stomach started growling. I looked at the clock and realized what time it was." Nova said lying through her canine teeth.

"Yeah, the day DID go by pretty fast!" Mittens said believing the lie her daughter had just fed her. Soon after, all of the bowls were filled and the group began eating. While the munching started, Nova was busy concocting a plan to get into the attic, where she would enlist the help of the only person in the house she could fully trust… Seth.

**End of Chapter**

Would you believe me if I told you that I wrote this entire chapter in less than 3 hours? Well, believe it! I am happy to be placing the next chapter to the story up for reads in record time. And I have big plans in store for Chapter 5, which means that this story could very well consist of 16-20 chapters by the time it's completed. Keep on reviewing, guys! My biggest thanks go out to Mike101 and jacruz666, who have been chapter to chapter reviewers throughout BOTH of my stories. It's nice to see I have some loyal followers.

Adios!


	5. Too Much to Bare PART 1

Where did we leave off, again? Oh yeah! Nova was busy setting up a plan to get into the attic, and she was gonna make sure Seth would help her do it. Things are about to get really crazy up in here. (Like white girls on NBA players- Anthony Anderson: King's Ransom). I'm a part time stand-up comic, so a little humor goes a long ways. Enjoy!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Too Much to Bare PART 1**

The morning gave Nova time to concoct her plan to get inside the attic, and she had the perfect opportunity to try it out during the afternoon; with Bolt, Mittens, Rhino, Catherine and Penny all at the pet store.

"So, what exactly are you trying to do?" Seth asked as he followed Nova upstairs to the attic entrance.

"I need to get into the attic, but I can't reach the pull handle." Nova explained

"And you think I can?" Seth asked

"With some help." Nova walked over to Penny's room, where she pulled her desk chair out into the hallway, placing it just below the pull-down door. As soon as it was in position, she jumped on and perched herself just right, with Seth standing by to watch.

"Okay, now we just need some rope." Nova said getting to the next detail.

"There's some in the garage." Seth said openly.

"Could you run and get it for me?"

"Sure, just tell me what you're gonna have me doing when I bring it back." Seth said evening the playing fields. He knew where the rope was, and he was the only one who could jump high enough to reach it; an easy tactic that he had been waiting to try when it came to bargaining.

"Ugh… we're gonna tie it to your waist so that I can pull the door down AND you while you hold onto it." Nova said giving in. Seth seemed a little shocked, but not to the magnitude she thought he would be.

"That is devious… and I am SO proud." Seth said giving his sister props.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah just go get the rope." Nova ordered getting annoyed, and Seth walked away, and off to the garage. Within 5 minutes, he was back with the rope dangling behind him.

"Not too tight! I'm still a cat." Seth informed Nova as she tied the knot around his waist.

"I don't have thumbs, moron. You'll get what I can give you." Nova said throwing her own smart remark into the conversation. After the rope was 'secured', Nova jumped back onto the chair and Seth climbed onto her head.

"Hey, watch the claws!" Nova told her brother.

"This was YOUR idea. You'll get what I can give you." Seth said throwing his sister's statement back in her face. Not wanting to cause Nova any more pain, he made his leap for the handle, and latched on with his front paws. Within an instant, Nova jumped down from the chair, grabbed a hold of the rope, and pulled the door down. Seth touched down on the floor of the hallway, shaking from being in the air.

"Are you okay?" Nova asked

"A little shaky, but yeah." Seth said informing his sister that he was unhurt. The dog and cat walked around the front of the staircase, and looked up to see the entrance to the attic; the result of their work.

"Well?" Seth said as he looked over at Nova, who began slowly walking up the stairs. Seth noticed that she was having trouble with her ascent, and took a few steps back just in case she fell backwards; not wanting to be in her path.

"This thing is hard to climb."

"Take your time, Nova!" Seth said letting her know that there was no rush. Eventually, she made it to the top, and Seth began his climb; making great time with a quick sprint that took about 5 seconds.

"Show-off." Nova mumbled.

"Hey, cats are built differently than dogs. You guys have more energy, while we have more flexibility. Just consider it a trade-off." With the two of them inside, they looked around for anything that would keep Rhino entertained for an entire day.

"Maybe he keeps a secret TV up here or something. It IS Rhino!" Seth said trying to come up with a logical explanation. Nova just ignored the comment and kept looking. Seth soon came across Rhino's small footprints in the settling dust, which led him towards a fairly large box labeled 'Bolt's stuff'.

"Nova." Seth called from the other side of the room. Nova pulled her head up to see Seth waving his paw towards himself to let her know that he found something.

"What do you make of this?" Seth asked, turning his attention back to the box. Nova's face showed feelings of confusion and reason.

"Well, Dad does keep some of his stuff up here." Nova said logically.

"True, but why are Rhino's footprints over here?" Seth asked looking back at Nova for an answer.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Nova said grabbing the box flap with her teeth, and pulling it into a reachable view. As she stopped pulling the box, a small black box fell from the top of the shelf, right above Nova and Seth. Nova was quick to dodge the falling object, but Seth wasn't so lucky; taking a hit to the head and knocking him on his stomach.

"Seth!" Nova shouted as she rushed to her brother's aid.

"Oh My God! You have blood coming from behind your ear." Nova said again becoming increasingly worried for Seth's safety.

"Nova, relax! It's just a cut. It'll heal." Seth said trying to reassure Nova that he was still able to function. Nova let out a huge sigh of relief, and glanced at the wound, trying to get a better look, which only annoyed the young tabby.

"Nova, I AM OK!" Seth said with emphasis, making sure that she heard him this time.

"Okay, okay… I'm so sorry!" Nova said apologetically.

"It's alright, stuff happens. Just look on the bright side: All the commotion knocked that box over, and that means we don't have to waste our time trying to open it." Nova looked over at the box she had just pulled free, and noticed that Seth was right. He walked over to the box and crawled inside, only to have his sight restricted.

"I can't see a thing." Seth said as he back out of the box.

"Here, let me do it. Better that I get hurt this time." Nova said getting in front of her brother. Seth shook his head and rolled his eyes, wishing she wasn't so protective.

"Maybe you ARE Dad's daughter. You're just as protective as he is."

"Oh bite me!" Nova said pulling out a small black frame with her mouth, and setting it down in front of Seth. The cat hunched his head over it, wondering what it was.

"What is this?"

"Um… I think it's a picture frame." Nova answered

"Is there anything else in there?" Seth asked

"Yeah, there's a couple more of these frames, and a small box in here… Wait! There's something else." Nova said noticing an even smaller box.

"What is it?" Seth asked. Nova pulled out a felt box covered in dust, and set it down.

"What I would give for thumbs." Nova complained

"Just hold the box still, and I'll take care of it." Seth said with Nova obeying his orders. Seth slipped his paw between the box flaps, prying it open as the spring flipped it up. What they saw made them both gasp and their eyes shot wide open; Bolt's Bronze Star.

"Nova, do you know what this is?" Seth asked

"No, do you?"

"Yeah… This is the Bronze Star. It's a medal issued by the government."

"For what?"

"What they call 'going above and beyond the call of duty.'"

"So… what's it doing up here?"

Nova and Seth looked at each other and then looked back at the medal, noticing the name plate imprint on the top of the box.

"Does that say what I think it does?" Nova asked

"Yep! It's Dad's!" Seth said just as shocked as Nova. The thoughts that raced through their minds included shock, denial, and disapproval, just due to the fact that their father kept this amazing secret from them.

"I don't believe this." Nova said as she ran for the attic door, not caring if she slipped and fell down the stairs.

"Nova!" Seth called for his sister, but he never gets a response; instead, just the pads of her feet running through the house, out the back door and straight to the barn with Seth watching here every move. Seth sighed, knowing how upset she was. He turned his attention back to the box and stared at it before looking at the digital frame. He gave it a sniff at the bottom and accidently pressed the 'play' button, causing the screen to light up and send him running in fear. After about 15 seconds of hiding, he slowly walked up to the frame and watched the pictures flash by.

**(The Barn)**

Nova was lying on the top hay bale, which was at least 10 feet in the air. She set her head down on the hay and began crying, wishing she could trust her parents with her past, and realizing that she couldn't. _Why did he have to hide this from me? Does it have to do with me being adopted? I just want to know the truth, and I'm getting tired of having to find it on my own. _Nova thought as Seth crawled to the top bale to join her and make sure she was okay.

"Even though I already know the answer, I'm still gonna ask. How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better!" Nova said with a little chuckle to keep her spirits up.

"Well… after you dashed out of the attic, I cleaned out the box and put everything in the spare bedroom so we can look at it later."

"How did YOU manage to carry all of that to the bedroom?"

"Hey! I said I did it. I never said it was easy." Seth said laughing. Nova laughed alongside her brother before going back to sulking.

"I'm sorry I ran out like that." Nova said.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about." Seth said in a hushed tone before continuing.

"Some of the stuff I found is kinda cool, but most of it will answer all of our questions."

"Most of it?"

"Well, those picture frames are digital, and they have a lot of pictures on them, and even a few videos that you're gonna want to see… If you want to know what your real parents look like." Nova instantly looked over at Seth, and was at a loss for words. Seth got up and jumped to the ground, waiting for Nova to follow him, but stared up at the bales of hay to see that she was still too shocked by his last statement to even move.

"Hey, you coming?" Seth asked

"Uh… maybe later." Nova said. Seth, even though he was confused by her decision, left her to her peace and quiet, figuring that she just needed some time to herself. He made his way back to the house and through the doggy door, before heading back up the stairs to shut the attic door. As he pulled the string attached to the handle, he watched it slowly close back up into the ceiling and walked into the spare bedroom to start hiding everything that he found.

"Dad, you have a lot more explaining to do than you thought." Seth said to himself as he began cleaning up the room; making sure that his parents wouldn't see anything if they walked inside. After about 20 minutes, Nova walked back into the house to find Seth still in the spare bedroom putting their items away.

"Do you need some help?" Nova asked. Seth turned around to see his sister standing in the doorway, waiting for a response.

"Sure!" Seth said smiling, which caused Nova to smile. With that, the siblings got back to work and enjoyed a conversation as they did so.

"For being a dog, I'm glad to have you as a sister; even if it isn't a blood relation." Seth said complimenting Nova.

"Thanks. I honestly don't know what I would do if I didn't have you here to keep me sane." Nova laughing a little.

"I love you too!" Seth said jokingly, and caused the both of them to burst out laughing, rolling around on the carpet. Their laughing, however, was cut short by the sound of the front door opening, and the rest of the family's footsteps echoing throughout the house.

"Oh no! The attic door." Nova said panicking.

"Relax. I already shut it."

"Seriously? How?"

"I pulled the string, duh!" Seth said joking with his sister once more. Nova sighed and the two of them went downstairs to greet the group. The family spent most of the afternoon and evening just enjoying each other's company, watching more of the 'Bolt' episodes with Rhino narrating every line from every character, and sleeping. However, Mittens noticed that something wasn't completely right with her kids and she was getting tired of guessing. She walked into Penny's room and found Bolt laying on the bed with Penny while they listened to music.

"Hey baby!" Mittens said as she joined her mate.

"Hey!" Bolt said back as he nuzzled Mittens.

"I was wondering if you'd been paying attention to Nova and Seth today." Mittens began

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it just seems like they've been really… secretive lately. I mean, we came home from the pet store today, and I could instantly feel like something was out of place."

"What are you thinking?"

"I just wanna know what they're hiding, because I know something's up." Mittens said getting a little upset.

"OK, calm down Mittens." Bolt said as he pulled her against his side. She sighed as she sank into his shoulder, feeling stressed by the situation.

"Do you wanna go ask them what's goin' on?" Bolt suggested. Before Mittens could answer, Nova walked through the doorway and stared at her parents, as if something was on her mind.

"Um… We need to talk to you guys." Nova said still staring at Bolt and Mittens. The couple looked at each other before moving their attention back towards their daughter, as they got up and followed her down the hallway. As they passed the spare bedroom, they noticed Rhino watching TV at the foot of the bed.

"Rhino, what's going on?" Bolt asked stopping at the door.

"I'm not gonna get involved." Rhino said, not taking his eyes off the television screen even for a moment to glance at Bolt. The shepherd backed out of the room and followed Mittens and Nova down the stairs, still confused by Rhino's last statement. Reaching the bottom step, Bolt looked at the couch to see Seth already sitting on the couch, and Nova jumping to the same cushion to join him.

"Okay, I'm getting tired of the interrogations. You guys are gonna tell us what's going on right now, or you can kiss the TV good-bye for a week." Bolt said sternly, which surprised Mittens a little. She had never seen him show that kind of authority with Nova and Seth before, just because he never needed to.

"Okay, but you guys have some more explaining to do of your own." Seth said showing no fear.

"Excuse me?" Bolt asked

"Starting with this." Seth said as Nova reached behind her and pulled out Bolt's medal.

**End of Chapter**

As much as I wish I could continue, I am leaving you guys with a cliffhanger that will keep you guys glued to your computer screens until Part 2 is revealed. The kids are right! They have got some explaining to do. Let's see them try to work their way out of their biggest secret. I also have a favor to ask all of my readers, but I will ask it when I do my next update. See you guys soon!

Adios!


	6. Too Much to Bare PART 2

Welcome to Part 2 of the extra-long chapter. I'm pleased to see that my readers are enjoying the sequel. As you read at the tail-end of the last chapter, I posted that I had a favor to ask you guys: An author for the 'Over The Hedge' page (and good friend of mine), scuta5 is preparing to write a sequel to one of his stories**:** **Over The Hedge: Trials of Life**, but he fears that he has lost all of his readers, because it's been 3 years. If you guys are looking for a good RJxHeather story, send him a message, and tell him to bring on the sequel. And don't forget to put the word out to others that you think would enjoy it. THANKS GUYS! I LOVE YA'LL. And now, back to the story!

A'N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Too Much to Bare PART 2**

_Reaching the bottom step, Bolt looked at the couch to see Seth already sitting there, and Nova jumping to the same cushion to join him._

"_Okay, I'm getting tired of the interrogations. You guys are gonna tell us what's going on right now, or you can kiss the TV good-bye for a week." Bolt said sternly, which surprised Mittens a little. She had never seen him show that kind of authority with Nova and Seth before, just because he never needed to._

"_Okay, but you guys have some more explaining to do of your own." Seth said showing no fear._

"_Excuse me?" Bolt asked _

"_Starting with this." Seth said as Nova reached behind her and pulled out Bolt's medal. _Bolt and Mittens both looked at the medal and gasped.

"Where did you find that?" Bolt asked

"In the attic." Nova answered

"What were you guys doing up there?"

"A little exploring. That thing fell from the top of a shelf and hit me on the head." Seth said, and Nova cringed as she thought back to how she accidently pulled the box out, and HE got hurt because of it. Her sudden change of facial expressions didn't go unnoticed by Seth.

"It wasn't your fault." Seth whispered before getting back to the conversation between him and his father.

"This medal is given to people who go above and beyond the call of duty. You must have done something pretty amazing to receive it… and you never said anything." Seth said letting his father have a turn to talk. Bolt saw no use in hiding anything else from the two of them, and sighed before giving a silent explanation

"…I saved somebody." Bolt answered

"Who?" Nova asked

"His name is Kurt Gracin." Bolt answered. He knew that it wouldn't be easy to tell them about the adventure that took place no more than a year ago, but he decided that he had waited long enough to tell them.

"He owns a company dedicated to genetic enhancement. He was kidnapped and I helped save him." Bolt continued. Mittens sat next to him and did her best to hide the fact that her stomach was dropping every few seconds. Her nervousness was beginning to get the better of her as she began feeling nauseous.

"Who was it that asked for your help?" Nova asked

"I'll only tell you if the two of you calm down." Bolt said. Nova and Seth looked at each other and gave slight nods to one another. Even though they were still upset, they had to know when to back down eventually.

"Deal!" Nova and Seth said simultaneously.

"I'm gonna… sit this one out." Mittens said before heading to the doggy door, and out onto the back porch before she threw up in front of her kids. Bolt looked at her as she ran outside, obviously not feeling well. He had a feeling that Mittens would have some trouble when the day came to tell their kids about the secret mission they'd worked on.

"Is Mom okay?" Seth asked

"Probably not. She's sick to her stomach because of what I'm about to tell you." Bolt said blatantly, hoping that the next time his kids wanted answers; they would do so with more respect instead of interrogation. Both Seth and Nova started feeling a little sick themselves; feeling that they may have pushed too hard.

"However, you guys DO deserve to know the truth… the whole truth! We've been dreading this day since the two of you came into our lives." Bolt started

"That's actually the first thing we wanted to talk to you about… I know I'm adopted." Nova said looking at her father, knowing how much this conversation hurt him.

"That IS true! I worked with your parents on the mission to save Kurt. They worked with an elite team of genetically enhanced superdogs called "The Phantom Five'." Bolt said. Nova stared at her father, confused.

"The what?"

"'The Phantom Five'. It was a group composed of Preston, Simone, Carson and your parents: Eli and Beverly. Eli is a Rhodesian Ridgeback who was basically the genius of the team, and Beverly, your mother, is an Alaskan Malamute who worked with the infantry."

"My dad was a Ridgeback?"

"Not exactly. Your REAL father died about a month before you were born in Bangkok. He was an agent with another team that saved a village from a drug cartel, but he was shot down at the airport." Bolt said finishing for a moment. Nova's heart completely sank, hearing that her father wasn't alive. Seth looked at his sister, feeling nothing but sympathy for her as he saw tears coming from her eyes. Bolt knew that it was gonna kill her inside to hear those words, and he regretted saying them as soon as he saw her start to cry.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart!" Bolt said. Nova lifted her head a little to look back at Bolt.

"Where are they now?" Nova asked; her voice still thickened a little from crying.

"They're in Bakersfield. They left the agency after the mission, and started a new life. Eli finally told your mother how he felt about her while she was giving birth to you. Now, they live with a woman out in the country just like you two." Bolt said smiling, which caused Nova and Seth to smile too.

"You also have brothers and sisters." Bolt said continuing.

"The same ones in the pictures?" Nova asked, but instantly silenced herself knowing that she had just shot her mouth off.

"You know about the picture frames?" Bolt asked. Nova pulled out one of the frames from in between her body and Seth's, and set it down in front of Bolt.

"Have you watched it yet?" Bolt asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. Are those my parents?"

"Yes." Bolt said pushing 'play' with his nose. As the pictures rolled by, he pointed out who was who to Nova and Seth. Some pictures they laughed at, and some they laughed at even more. Nova enjoyed seeing what her family looked like, and what's happened in their lives.

"She's so beautiful!" Nova whispered to herself, complimenting her mother, but Bolt heard it anyway.

"She is." Bolt agreed

"So… what was my father's name?" Nova asked looking at Bolt. He laughed a little before looking over at Seth, wondering what he would think when he heard the name.

"Seth!" Bolt said

"What?" Seth asked, thinking that his father was trying to get his attention. He didn't realize what Bolt was talking about, and at the time, neither did Nova.

"No, that was it. His name… was Seth!" Bolt repeated. Seth's eyes widened and Nova looked over at him with eyes just as wide.

"Wh…" Seth tried to get the words out, but failed.

"Yep. He was the inspiration behind YOUR name." Bolt said looking at his son. Seth continued to stare at Bolt, trying to comprehend what he was hearing.

"What about… my parents?" Seth asked

"Penny brought you home after we got back from the mission. She saw how close your mother and I were, and one of her friends had a neighbor whose cat had recently given birth… Your mother cried with tears of joy the first time she laid eyes on you." Bolt said as he thought back to that day. Seth was on the verge of tears as he listened to Bolt explain HIS life, and how he came to be. Nova extended her arm around Seth and pulled him to her side, startling him a little, but eventually, he laid his head on the couch cushion; content with the life he was given. The young feline looked over at the picture frame and pressed the play button again, ready to pick up where they left off before.

"And these are my brothers and sisters?" Nova asked

"Yeah."

Nova smiled as she looked over the pictures one more time, and couldn't wait to meet them. She got so caught up in the video, she didn't even notice Penny walking down the stairs and looked at the group. As soon as Penny saw the picture frame, she knew exactly what was going on, and a smile seemed to grow on her face.

"Am I interrupting?" Penny asked sheepishly, to which Bolt shook his head, letting her know that she could join them.

"There's one more thing, Dad." Nova said again.

"What?" Bolt asked. Nova then pulled out Bolt's collar that had been placed in the attic after Eli and Beverly left their house 8 months prior. Penny gasped when she laid her eyes on the collar, and looked at Bolt with a pleading look that said 'Can we please put it on?' Bolt smiled as he grabbed the collar with his teeth and gave it to Penny.

"What is she doing?" Seth asked

"You'll see." Bolt said as Penny finished fastening the last notch in the collar. Bolt and Penny looked at each other for a few seconds before Penny reached for the tag and pressed it. Penny sat back on the couch cushion as she waited for Bolt to speak.

"Is it working?" Penny asked on the verge of tears.

"…perfectly." Bolt said which caused Penny to pull him into a tight hug, which he very gladly returned. As the two of the continued to hold onto one another with tears streaming down their faces, Nova and Seth looked at each other and smiled widely.

"No way!" Seth said silently, which caused Bolt and Penny to laugh in between sobs.

"Yes way!" Bolt said as he and Penny released their hug.

"Your father gave me this. After we decided that we wanted that normal life for you guys, we put the collar in the attic, hoping that one day we would be able to use it again." Bolt said as he and Penny looked back at each other. The next two hours consisted of Bolt telling his kids about the team, and Nova's REAL family, and Penny hanging on to every word as though her life depended on it. The only thing that Bolt failed to mention was the fact the Nova had her own set of superpowers, which he did on purpose, not wanting her to try them out in the house with fragile decorations everywhere. Within about 15 minutes, Mittens made her way back into the house after getting the fresh air she desperately needed. Rhino also came down to get in on the conversation.

"Hey guys. How did it go?" Rhino asked the kids.

"It went well!" Seth said.

"Wait! You knew about this?" Bolt asked as he looked at his hamster friend. However, Rhino never got the chance to answer, due to Seth jumping in to explain.

"We were trying to sneak all of this stuff down to the couch, but we forgot that he lives on it. When he saw the frames, he WAS shocked, but he said that you guys would explain everything."

"I figured I already knew what was gonna happen, so I just left the room so they could do what they had to do." Rhino said jumping back in. Bolt just shook his head and rolled his eyes, wondering why he shouldn't have expected Rhino to do something like that.

"Chicken!" Bolt mumbled under his breath, but Rhino heard it loud and clear, meeting his hero with the evil eye. It would seem that the family was having an amazing time reminiscing about the good times, but inside, Nova was dying a little with every comment Bolt and Mittens were making about her parents and siblings. She was still unbelievably upset that her parents would keep such a huge part of her life from her, when she had a right to know. Even though Nova was doing her best to keep her feelings hidden from everyone, there was still one individual that always seemed to know when she wasn't all there… Seth. As night fell upon the farm, the family had dispersed and went on about their lives. Bolt, Mittens and Penny spent the entire night in her room catching up, while Rhino stayed on the couch watching 'Die Hard'. When it came to Nova, she was laying in the barn amongst piles on loose hay, crying her eyes out. Seth slowly opened the barn door and walked inside slowly, not wanting to scare her.

"How long have you been in here?" Seth asked worried.

"About two hours." Nova responded; her voice thick from sobbing.

"You can't stay out here forever." Seth said, and was met with Nova getting to her feet, and in his face.

"I have a right to be angry with them. They lied to me for 8 months, and you expect me to just be okay with it?... My family is out there… my REAL family." Nova said shouting, but died down a little as her rant came to an end. Seth sat still, not wanting to move; not because he was afraid that Nova would hurt him, but because of what she said. Inside, his heart began to ache, thinking that Nova didn't see him as a brother because she had another family. Nova backed up after realizing what she said, wishing she could take it back. She knew he was hurt.

"Seth… that came out wr…" Nova tried saying before Seth cut her off.

"No… I think it came out perfectly. You meant every word." Seth said before turning around and running for the barn door.

"Seth." Nova called out to him.

"Leave me alone, and go find you REAL family." Seth shouted back as he continued to run, not caring which direction he was headed. Nova stopped as she watched Seth run off into the distance and with every foot he walked away from her, her heart broke a little more. Seth was the only person she could fully trust, and now she was fearful that she had lost him. Nova dropped to the ground in agony as she continued to cry until she fell asleep from the exhaustion. The morning sun seeped through the warped barn door, and began shining everywhere, including the reflective sheet metal leaning up against the door. As the barn lit up, Nova woke up slowly and got up to stretch. She still felt horrible after the events that happened last night between her and Seth, and she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to make things right. As she walked through the yard, she spotted her father racing out the back door and straight towards her.

"Nova." Bolt shouted

"I'm sorry I didn't come last night. I just needed some ti…" Nova began before Bolt tackled her to the ground in a hug.

"Don't you scare me like that!" Bolt said; his heart beating out of his chest. Nova lowered her head in shame, knowing that her father was disappointed in her.

"I'm sorry." Nova said as her Bolt got off of her.

"We thought you and Seth ran off." Bolt said

"No, I went to the barn and he came in to… Wait. What do you mean 'me and Seth?'" Nova asked confused.

"We thought he would be with you." Bolt asked even more confused than Nova.

"No. I yelled at him last night and he ran off, but I figured he would go back in the house. You can't find him?" Nova asked again.

"No. We looked everywhere for the BOTH of you. What did you yell at him for?" Bolt asked. Knowing how close the two of them were, he didn't figure she would ever scream at Seth. Nova looked down at the ground and felt her heart wrench again.

"I was upset because of everything that happened yesterday. I felt like I had a right to know, and to have you guys keep that from me, it really upset me."

"You didn't seem too upset yesterday when we were talking on the couch."

"I know. I was holding it all in, and Seth is usually the only one who can tell when I'm not feeling too well."

"What did you say to him?"

"I was yelling because I wanted to meet them. I mentioned how much of a REAL family they were, and… I implied that he wasn't my brother."

"What?"

"I let it slip. I know I screwed up, and I wanna make things right."

"Well, that's gonna be kinda hard, because he's missing." Bolt said as he and Nova ran back into the house and met up with Mittens and Rhino to begin the search.

**End of Chapter**

This is gonna be interesting. Now that Seth is missing, Nova feels like she's lost a part of her. Where did Seth go? Will they find him? Will Nova be able to make things right with him? You guys know I love writing this story, and you also know that I love your reviews. So keep 'em coming! Ya'll take care now, ya hear!

Adios!


	7. Without A Trace

Well, I suppose I've left you guys waiting long enough. I had a bit of writer's block earlier this week, and I'm still trying to get most of my edge back, so forgive me if I throw you guys off some. That said, let's get things rollin'!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Without A Trace**

It had been 2 hours since the family had discovered that Seth was missing, and each member was going insane, not sure where to look. Bolt and Mittens looked in every crevice of the house, while Rhino took the front yard, and Nova took the farm and barn. With no luck coming to any of them, they regrouped in the living room, with Nova seconds away from crying.

"Nova." Bolt said slowly get his daughter's attention. Nova looked at her dad, obviously feeling total guilt.

"We'll find him." Bolt said with assurance, only to be met with Nova resuming her silent cry. She didn't want to show how much pain she was in, but the one person who could always help her control that was gone. Mittens got up and walked over to Nova, who still had tears streaming down her face.

"Nova, do you know where he would go?" Mittens asked

"No. He never talks about going anywhere. He loves it here." Nova answered

"He never liked the park all that much. He just went with us to spend time together." Bolt said openly. The entire family was left with a lot of questions and no answers to any of them. They knew that Seth would be upset at Nova for saying what she did, but eventually he would have to come home. For the next 20 minutes, they all just sat there contemplating their next move.

"We might just have to go looking for him on foot. Do you remember which way he ran?" Bolt asked his daughter, who looked at the back door, trying to put herself back in the barn to see which direction he had gone. Suddenly, Nova ran out the back doggy door, and to the yard, where she pointed her head to the north.

"Do you know where to look?" Bolt asked once more.

"No, but I know where to start." Nova responded. It wasn't exactly the answer that Bolt wanted to hear, but it was a good place to begin.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Rhino asked as he ran back into the house to grab his ball. Mittens followed the hamster up the stairs and back into the living room, only leaving Bolt and Nova left out back. As Bolt made his way to the back deck, he looked at Nova, who was still sitting in the same spot where she told them to start looking. Her back was turned to the house as she faced the dirt road that Seth was probably still traveling and the heartache only continued to grow. Nova felt alone without her brother, and was hoping that he would be able to find it in himself to forgive her for the harsh words. The only problem was that she didn't know if Seth was alive or not, and the thought of him getting killed out there brought even more pain to her already-broken heart. Bolt slowly walked up behind his little girl, and placed his arm around her waist, hoping that she still had faith.

"If he gets hurt, I'll never be able to forgive myself." Nova said' her voice barely audible through the crying.

"Don't think about that. We'll find him, honey!" Bolt assured

"I hope so." Nova said as Bolt led her back into the house. After another 15 minutes of waiting, Catherine was off to work, which meant that the family could begin their journey. With any luck at all, they would find Seth and make it home before Penny and Catherine made it back. Walking down the front porch, Bolt stopped before goin back into the house in a hurry, as if he'd forgotten something.

"Where's he going?" Nova asked. Mittens just shook her head, not knowing the answer to the question.

"I think I have a pretty good idea of what he's doing." Rhino said with a coy smile on his face. Nova was about to ask what he meant when Bolt came back outside, his collar slipped on.

"It might come in handy." Bolt said

"I knew it!" Rhino said

"Knew what?" Bolt asked confused, having missed the conversation his family just had without him.

"We'll explain it later." Mittens said as they walked down the steps to the dirt road. They had absolutely no idea which way to go, just because they didn't know where Seth would run off to. For at least an hour, the group tried finding his footprints in the dirt; however, they never came across any. The continuous amount of dead-ends began getting to Mittens, as she began having doubts, which Bolt was quick to spot.

"Honey." Bolt said looking at Mittens, who didn't say a word. Nova and Rhino were a good distance in front of them, and had no idea what was happening.

"Hey guys, hold on a second." Bolt called to the husky and hamster, telling them to wait for them to catch up. Mittens instantly stopped walking, and Bolt turned his body around to face hers. She continued to look at the ground until Bolt pulled her head up with a light nuzzle, lifting her chin with his nose, and seeing tears begin to take form.

"I was hoping I would never feel this pain again." Mittens said to Bolt, making a mention of the journey she took 8 months ago to find him.

"Mittens, you found me; just like we're gonna find HIM." Bolt assured, pulling his mate into his chest where she could shed some tears before going back to the search. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her son, but she still had faith that he was alive.

"Dad." Nova called from up the road, causing him to turn around right where he stood. Mittens pulled her head from her mate's chest, and looked around him to see where Nova was. The couple ran up to Nova and Rhino, who were standing at an intersection, where the dirt ended and the black top began.

"Great, now we can't track his prints." Bolt said getting frustrated.

"That's not what we called you over for." Rhino said jumping in.

"What?" Bolt asked. Nova looked down the road, where a mile marker sign stood on the side of the road. _**Bakersfield: 53 miles. **_

"What do you think are the chances?" Nova asked as she turned back to hear her father's response. Bolt looked at Nova and stared at her, wondering what she was talking about.

"The chances of what?" Bolt asked

"Last night before he ran out of my view, he shouted back, 'Go find your real family.' What if he's doing it for me?" Nova asked as her voice began to shake a little from crying. Bolt tried to find something to say that would cheer her up, but couldn't think of anything. He knew how bad she felt, and in a way, she deserved it somewhat; however, the guilt was eating her alive, and he was beginning to wonder if she would ever forgive herself.

"You folks look lost." said a voice walking across the wide road. The entire family turned to see a black lab strolling over to them.

"You could say that." Bolt said

"What are you lookin' for?" he asked

"Our son. He ran off last night, and we can't find him. What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I'm Trigger, and you are?" Trigger asked

"I'm Bolt. This is Nova, my daughter; this is Rhino, my best friend; and this is Mittens, my mate." Bolt introduced, as he acknowledged each member of the family. Trigger got a bit of a confused look on his face, which Bolt took as a sign that he couldn't see a dog and a cat as mates.

"Yeah, we know. We get looks like that a lot." Bolt said as he pulled Mittens to his right side. The lab just shook his head a little, like he was in a trance.

"You do?" Trigger asked

"Yeah, some people need to warm up to it a little." Bolt said continuing with his explanation.

"Are you sure we're thinking about the same thing?" Trigger asked with his head cocked to the side. Bolt looked at Mittens, wondering if HE was the one who should be confused.

"What… are you thinking about?" Bolt asked hesitantly.

"That it's you… You're Bolt! You're Mittens!" Trigger said almost star struck. Nova looked at her parents, hoping they would fill in the blanks.

"You know who we are?" Mittens asked

"Of course. Preston told us the story when our team was formed." Trigger explained in more detail. Bolt and Mittens' jaws both dropped and their eyes widened when they heard the name 'Preston'. Rhino was so overcome with shock; he fainted, still leaving Nova with more questions than answers.

**(Seth)**

The small tabby was waking up after walking all night in the dark. He found shelter underneath an overpass alongside a set of abandoned railroad tracks. As he slid down the embankment to the road, his eyes fixated on the highway, and where it led: Bakersfield. After what had happened the night before, all Seth wanted was Nova out of his life, because that's basically what she wanted. He wanted to believe that she didn't want the other family, but he couldn't deny himself of the harsh reality. As he began his trek along the road, he noticed a mile marker sign just a few hundred feet in front of him: _**Bakersfield: 39 miles**_.

"Well, at least I know where I'm goin'." Seth said to himself. His mind drifted off to other things as he continued walking, including food. Seth looked around for any source of food he could find, but was only left with a large building in the middle of a field.

"What the hell." Seth said defeated, thinking maybe they'd be generous enough to give him something. Pushing through the tall grass, he made his way to the door, which had at least 3 industrial locks above the handle.

"Well, so much for that." Seth said turning away, figuring that the building was locked up. As he walked down the steps, the door suddenly opened, causing him to jump and run for cover. As he hid behind a barrel, he heard footsteps slowly pacing around the doorway, not really walking anywhere, but also not staying in one place.

"Is there someone out here? If there is, it's okay. We won't hurt you." The voice said somewhat calmly. Seth debated walking into the figure's view for about 5 more seconds, and finally gave in, stepping out from behind the barrel to see a man dressed in a 3-piece suit. As soon as the man laid eyes on the young feline, sympathy instantly kicked in.

"Hi there! Who are you?" The man asked. Seth timidly walked towards the man, who by now had his arm extended to show that he meant no harm.

"You look familiar. Have I seen you before?" The man asked again, this time with a curious look on his face. Seth seemed a little shocked himself, as he thought about the possibilities of who the man might be.

"Come on inside."

Seth slowly walked through the door; still cautious about whom he was around. His eyes instantly widened as he looked around; seeing at least 20 large dogs. He feared that he would get hurt if he stayed, and backed up slowly, not wanting any of them to notice. The man, seeing this, bent down to pick up Seth and carry him in his arms.

"It's okay, buddy. They won't hurt you."

Looking around the building, Seth saw lots of obstacle courses, targets, weapons, and cars. As the man carried him into his office, he was stopped by one of the dogs.

"Sir, a few packages have just arrived for you." the dog said. Her voice was very mellow, almost like that of an opera singer.

"Excellent. Would you mind keeping this little guy here company while I sign for them?" The man asked the canine. Seth's eyes widened once more, wondering how in God's name a human could communicate with a dog. Instantly, he thought back to the collar his father was wearing when he told them about the secret half of his life.

"Yes, sir." she said. The still unknown man set Seth down on his desk chair and walked out the door, closing it behind him and leaving them both inside the small space. He backed up as much as he could in the chair, and began breathing heavily, which the female dog easily noticed.

"Don't worry. We may be dogs, but we're not rabid."

"I'm sorry, but that's not making me feel much better."

"No worries. So where did you come from?"

"It's a long story. But first, I want to know how that guy can understand you."

"Oh, he can understand all of us. Our DNA has been genetically enhanced, so we can speak perfect English, along with about 20 other languages."

"Whoa… What's his name?"

"Kurt."

Seth didn't know how much more shocked he could possibly get in one day. Could this really be the same Kurt that his father saved 8 months ago? Was he really where he thought he was?

"You look confused."

"His last name wouldn't happen to be Gracin, would it?" The dog was taken aback by that fact that he knew who the man was.

"You know him?"

"Yeah. My dad saved him 8 months ago when he was kidnapped." The dog was now left speechless. She now knew exactly who she was looking at, which seemed to creep Seth out a little bit.

"Seth?" she asked. Seth looked at the canine, now beginning to get scared at just how much they both knew about each other.

"Do I know you?" Seth asked, but she never responded, still in extreme shock. After a few seconds of silence, Seth began to recognize certain features about the canine. He recognized her dark brown coat, her eye color, and how much she looked like Simone… BAM!

**(Bolt and Trigger)**

In the course of 20 minutes, Trigger and Bolt had battled back and forth, seeing who could surprise whom the most with the stories they told from their pasts. Bolt couldn't believe how much Preston and Simone told their team members about Mittens, Rhino, and himself. Trigger was getting the chance of a lifetime, meeting Bolt; the reason he signed up for the team.

"Wait, you signed onto the team because of me?" Bolt asked in shock.

"Yeah. Word got out that Gracin was saved by you and the Five. I told myself that I had a chance to make a difference WITH genetic enhancement, because YOU did the impossible without it." Trigger continued to explain.

"Uh… wow. I don't know what to say." Bolt said

"Allow me! It's an honor to be in your presence." Trigger said before giving a small bow with his forehead, believing that he was presenting himself to royalty. Bolt was trying his best not to be excited by the fact that he was practically being worshipped, because inside, he was. Mittens was shaking her head the entire time, hoping that the selfless Bolt would soon return. Sure enough, Bolt snapped out of his big-headed state and got back to the real reason he and his family were wandering the rural roads of southern California.

"Well, I appreciate the gesture, but we really should be going. We still need to find our son." Bolt said as the rest of the group gathered around the shepherd.

"Where did he go?" Trigger asked

"We aren't sure. We think he might be heading for Bakersfield." Mittens informed

"Bakersfield? Well, I'm already on my way there. Each member of our team has to endure the elements of Mother Nature as part of our training, and it involves making it to Bakersfield within 72 hours." Trigger explained, causing Bolt to rethink his plans of searching.

"Well, we could always use an extra set of eyes."

"Great. My ears can hear a car start from 5 miles away, so an extra set of those might help too."

"Ok. Glad to have you aboard." Bolt said as he and Trigger shook paws. As soon as they let go, everyone was off, with the addition of a new friend. Their adrenaline was instantly kicked into high gear when they saw a flatbed truck heading for the turnoff to their destination. It took some heavy sprinting to catch up to the vehicle, but with the help of a stop light, they were able to jump on without detection.

"Phew! We made it." Trigger said celebrating a little.

"Yeah, now we just wait." Bolt said as he and Mittens found a corner to curl up next to, escaping the wind. Trigger watched as the dog and cat wrapped themselves in each other's arms, smiling even considering the circumstances. It didn't take long for Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino to fall asleep, just due to the sheer exhaustion from walking. Nova was still awake and lying on the other side of the truck bed, looking lost. Trigger couldn't help but notice a few tears coming from her eyes. She was doing her best to wipe them away as soon as they fell down her muzzle, but she couldn't clear them all. The black lab moved closer to the sulking husky to see if there was anything he could do to make her feel better.

"Hey!" Trigger said as she looked at him for a moment, and soon after went back to her slump.

"What goin' on?" Trigger asked with concern in his voice.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a terrible poker face?"

"Actually… yes; all three of THEM!" Nova said motioning her paw towards her parents and Rhino.

"Is it about your brother?" Trigger asked. Nova lifted her head a little in an attempt to hide the needle-in-the-heart pain she was feeling, but saw no use in hiding it from the lab. She let out a small sigh before responding.

"Yeah. I screamed at him the other night, and I'm the reason he ran off. He went to find my real family so he doesn't have to deal with me anymore, and I don't know if I'll be able to forgive myself if he gets hurt out here." Nova explained trying to hold back the tears.

"Well, all you can do is hope for the best." Trigger said trying his best to comfort her. As much as she didn't like talking about it, Nova DID like having someone to listen, instead of her just ranting to thin air. She smiled, thankful to have Trigger along for the search. When it came to Trigger as a dog, she couldn't help but notice that he was kinda cute. She was also happy that she could hide a blush (which she could thank Seth for once again), because she began to feel one coming on.

"Thanks for listening." Nova said smiling.

"No problem!" Trigger said, extending his forearm onto her back, and giving it a slight rub. The lab slowly got up and walked to the middle of the truck, where he laid down to rest for what little time they had before they hit Bakersfield. Nova looked at him, thinking about how much he reminded her of Bolt. He was caring, comforting, and would listen to her; even though he didn't have to. The husky put the feeling to rest for now, and concentrated more of her thoughts on Seth, and how she would apologize to him when she found him. She just hoped that he would accept it… or that he was even alive.

**End of Chapter**

This one took a while to finish. Not because of writer's block, but because of time. I've been working 35-40 hours per week, and I have no energy. It's a blessing to have a job, but it's getting difficult to even slow down. I will also be flying to Maryland tomorrow for my grandfather's funeral; so it might be a little while before my next update on ANY of my stories. Thanks for your patience, guys. Hopefully, I will see have a new chapter up and running soon.

Adios!


	8. Shock and Awe PART1

Welcome one and all to Chapter 8. I had some spare time in the hotel room in Annapolis to write this up, along with a few epiphanies here and there. It seems so strange how an epiphany can come to a person at the strangest of times (I got this one on the freeway exit ramp between the airport and rural Annapolis.) Hope it was worth writing!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Shock and Awe PART 1**

**(Seth)**

"Oh My God! Simone?" Seth asked in complete shock

"Yeah, it's me." Simone said as she rushed up to Seth and embraced him in a big, yet gentle hug. To see the young tabby in person for the first time in almost 9 months was a nice surprise. Suddenly, a thought came to mind.

"Wait, you recognize me?" Simone asked

"Yeah, I saw the digital frames. Dad had kept you guys a secret for the last 8 months, and just recently, Nova and I found the frames in our attic." Seth explained with Simone listening intently.

"Really? How IS Nova?" Simone asked. Seth's facial expression changed in the blink of an eye. He remembered how much she'd hurt him, and he let his anger run his mouth.

"Honestly, I could care less right now." Seth said a little agitated.

"Why?" Simone asked curiously.

"Because she wants nothing to do with our family anymore. Ever since we found out about her real family, that's all she wants. She doesn't even see me as a brother anymore… and I don't think she ever did." Seth said sighing as he sank into the desk chair's cushion. Simone could see the pain in his eyes, and wished she knew the whole story.

"So, did you run away or something?"

"I'm going to Bakersfield. That's where her REAL family is. This way, she gets what she wants, and I get her out of my life."

Simone wanted to talk some sense into Seth, but quickly realized that she wouldn't get anywhere if they stayed at the warehouse. Instantly, she had an idea.

"Why don't I go with you?" Simone offered. Seth looked at her curiously, wondering if it was a serious offer.

"To Bakersfield?" he asked

"Yeah. I know a way we can get there fast." Simone said in a tempting voice, hoping that he would accept her offer. He didn't understand why she would help him with this because she was a friend of the family, but it was a free and quick ride; he wasn't about to turn it down.

"Okay." Seth said reluctantly. Just as he finished, Kurt walked back into the room.

"Sorry about that. So, did you guys get acquainted yet?" Kurt asked

"Oh yeah, and YOU know him too." Simone said looking at Gracin.

"I do?" Gracin asked unsure what she meant.

"Yep! Kurt, meet Seth; Bolt and Mittens' son." Simone said. Kurt looked at the tabby and slowly formed a smile.

"So this is the famous Seth I've heard so much about?"

"Yep! He's on his way to Bakersfield to meet Nova's family. Do you think we could set up a faster ride?"

'Oh, in a heartbeat. Cadillac or Tahoe?" Gracin asked

"Mmm… Tahoe." Simone said with Kurt pulling out his phone and dialing away as he walked out the door. Seth and Simone, who had a big smile on her face, followed the man out of the room and towards the garage, where each of the vehicles were kept. Seth looked at each one, drooling at the sight of some, including the Escalade, Avalanche, Bentley, and Camaro. Kurt walked up to the white Tahoe, and pressed a button on the keychain, causing the rear driver-side door to pop open.

"Hop in!" Kurt said to the young tabby, who was still taking in what had just happened. Seth slowly jumped to the seat and the door was shut behind him, leaving Kurt and Simone outside.

"Okay, Simone. Tell me what's going on." Kurt ordered slyly.

"He's trying to find Eli and Beverly; Nova's real parents. The two of them got in a fight the other night and she implied that she didn't care about him, or the rest of the family. I'm hoping that once he meets them, they'll tell him about the decision they made to have Nova raised up as Bolt and Mittens' daughter. Then, he'll realize the mistake he made running away. After all is said and done, I'll take him back to his house and explain what happened to Bolt and Mittens."

"What about Nova?"

"I can guarantee you that she already regrets what she said. She most likely said it out of anger. Trust me; I know how emotional a girl can get. I am one!" Simone said laughing.

"As your boss, I can't allow you to do this on your time." Gracin said, wishing that she could.

"I'm not asking you as an agent; I'm asking you as a friend… Please! Bolt is the reason you're still. Think of it as a debt that still isn't paid." Simone said trying to snap him out of his professional state. Kurt bent down and gave Simone a scratch on the head.

"Who taught you how to use such advanced psychology?" Kurt asked

"Uh… you did." Simone responded jokingly. Kurt smiled and continued to scratch her head and moved to under her chin.

"Take care of him." Kurt ordered.

"Yes sir." Simone said with pride. Kurt turned around and opened the door once more, allowing Simone to jump in right next to Seth.

"Best of luck to the both of you." Kurt said before shutting the door and walking back to the stairway and back upstairs to the warehouse.

"So… what now?" Seth asked looking at Simone.

"This. 'Start Vehicle!'" Simone said, and within an instant, the Tahoe automatically started. Seth looked around frantically, trying to figure out how the car started itself, and backed up behind Simone in fear.

"It's okay. It's voice-activated." Simone said trying to comfort the frightened feline.

"**NAVIGATION SYSTEM ACTIVATED! ENTER COORDINATES!**" said the computer from the front of the vehicle. Seth continued to stare at the SUV and wondered what else it could do, which left Simone a little entertained.

"Frazier Park, California." Simone said very clearly, making sure the car heard her voice command.

"**RESULTS FOUND: FRAZIER PARK, CALIFORNIA. ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME: 12 MINUTES.**" said the computer once more.

"I thought we were going to Bakersfield." Seth said confused.

"Oh, we are. I have a friend in Frazier Park who can help us." Simone said with a smirk on her face, making sure to hide it from Seth. The Tahoe placed itself in drive, and began moving down the corridor before a garage door opened into a tunnel. As the Tahoe drove on, lights began turning on as they continued down the dark cavern until they stopped about ½ mile down the strip of underground road. Suddenly, the top of the tunnel opened up and a ramp began inverting until it reached the top. The SUV drove up the ramp, and out onto the main road above ground, where it found the highway that Seth had walked the night before. It wasn't long before they also passed the overpass he had taken shelter under that same night.

"That…was…awesome!" Seth said slowly and with the same shocked expression plastered on his face when the car started driving.

"Just wait until you see NEXT year's model." Simone said cockily.

**(Bolt and Trigger)**

Sleep came quickly for Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino, but it didn't last. Every 5 minutes, the group was met with bumps in the road, honking horns from passing cars, or the radio blaring in the cab of the truck they were riding in. Nova didn't bother trying to sleep, because she knew she couldn't; while Trigger just stared at the scenery of Southern California from the middle of the flatbed. He couldn't help but look over at Nova every once and a while to see if she was looking back at him. Little did the two of them know that Bolt was watching the entire scene from the other side of the truck, wondering what it was they were doing.

"Guys, I see the turn-off, but I don't think this guys is gonna pull over for us." Rhino said looking out over the edge of the truck. Trigger suddenly got to his feet and walked towards the end of the truck.

"I got this." Trigger said jumping out of the truck; the speed being at least 65 miles per hour.

"Trigger." Nova shouted as he landed on the road below, and ran along the side of the truck at supersonic speed. Nova watched as the lab ran side-by side along the truck and reached his teeth across the rear tire, puncturing it as the truck started to slam on its brakes.

"Hang on, guys." Trigger shouted from the road, and the family hung on for dear life as the truck began pulling over with Trigger slowing down at the same pace. As the truck came to a complete stop, the family jumped out of the back of the truck and ran into a nearby ditch to hide from the human. The man got out of his side of the truck to examine the tire he had just 'blown', and reached into his giant toolbox in the back to grab the spare.

"Trigger, how did you do that?" Nova asked

"I have genetic enhancement, remember?" Trigger said looking at Nova, smiling; which in turn, caused her to smile back.

"So, what other powers do you have?" Rhino asked.

"Along with super-speed, I have super strength, and a bullet-proof coat." Trigger explained to the group as they snuck around the truck and down the road.

"So that's why your coat is so shiny." Nova said, paying the lab a compliment.

"Well, thank you. You have a very beautiful one yourself." Trigger said complimenting Nova on her pure white coat. She turned away to hide her smile and the blush she knew she couldn't hide, no matter how hard she tried. Mittens looked at her daughter and instantly knew what was on her mind. She felt that same feeling when she began falling for Bolt. The white shepherd also quickly put two and two together, but was a little less than thrilled about the situation. _She's too young to be having these feelings. I just got her in my life. _Bolt thought as he continued to walk with the rest of the posse.

"So, where do we go from here?" Bolt asked as they made their way down the off ramp.

"Do you know exactly where you're going?" Trigger asked

"Not a clue." Mittens answered

"Wait! What's the name of the lady who took Eli and Beverly in?" Rhino asked Bolt.

"I don't remember her first name, but I think her last name was… Montes?" Bolt said trying to think back to the last time he heard her name.

"Are you sure?" Rhino asked

"Not really, I'm trying to remember the last time we watched one of the frames." Bolt said

"It wasn't Montes, Dad. It was close, but it wasn't Montes. I saw a plaque hanging outside their door in one of the pictures, and I think it said Montoya." Nova said correcting her father.

"That's it. It WAS Montoya." Bolt said smiling

"So what do we do now?" Mittens asked

"We need a phone book." Nova answered. Bolt and Mittens looked at Nova, wondering one thing…

"You can read?" Bolt asked a little shocked.

"Yeah. You can't." Nova asked her father just as surprised.

"No. No animals can. It's a human language. Since when can you read it?"

"I've always been able to. I thought every animal knew how to read." Nova explained figuring that she knew how to read because it was something that anyone could do. Rhino gently tugged at Bolt's paw and motioned him to crouch down so he could talk to the canine.

"What if the ability to read is one of her powers?" Rhino whispered into Bolt's ear, who instantly did a double take, forgetting that Nova DID have her own set of super abilities, even if she didn't realize that. Bolt looked up at Nova, who was looking back at him confused.

"What?" Nova asked wondering what she missed.

"Nova, your parents have super abilities because of their genetic enhancements, and they may have passed some of them down to you." Bolt explained. Nova's eyes widened in complete shock, along with Trigger's eyes, which gave the same reaction.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Nova asked

"I completely forgot about it until HE brought it up." Bolt said looking down at Rhino.

"How did YOU figure this out?" Nova asked, now addressing the hamster.

"Well… the night we watched the first episode of your father's TV show, I noticed that you jumped in front of me when I was trying to run up the stairs. And I don't mean a little jump; I'm talking a full 12-foot bound from couch to stairs, without a running start. You need some kind of genetic enhancement to have been able to do that." Rhino explained to the young husky. Looking back on that night, she DID notice how she was able to jump that high and that far, but she never took the fact that she may have reprogrammed DNA into consideration. She figured it was well… normal.

"So, what other powers do I have?" Nova asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. I've been watching you like a hawk ever since that night to see if I could point them out, but I never saw any obvious powers." Rhino continued to explain.

"She's a good interrogator. We already figured that out when she was trying to pry more info out of us when it came to her real family." Bolt said smirking a little, which Nova just rolled her eyes at.

"That might be one of them. Beverly was trained in psychology as part of her job on the team." Mittens said jumping in.

"That IS true." Bolt said quietly.

"Wait, did I just hear that right?" Trigger asked jumping in as well. The family looked at him wondering what he meant by his question.

"Hear what?" Bolt asked

"Beverly is your mother? As in Beverly of 'The Phantom Five'?" Trigger asked looking at Nova.

"Yeah." Nova said simply. Trigger's jaw dropped to the ground in surprise.

"What?" Nova asked wondering why he was so shocked.

"Your mother is the one who trained me in the infantry division. After she retired, they called her back for a conference so she and Eli could meet all of the new recruits, including myself. As soon as she met me, she insisted on being the one who showed me the ropes in infantry, even though she wasn't a part of the agency anymore." Trigger explained with Nova hanging on to every word.

"You know my mom?" Nova asked on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, I do. You look so much like her." Trigger said. In that last sentence, Nova began shedding tears as she looked at Bolt and Mittens, who were equally taken aback by the wealth of knowledge crammed inside Trigger's mind.

"You know what? I'm going with you guys." Trigger informed; his mind practically made up.

"But don't you have to be back to Los Angeles in 3 days?" Rhino asked

"They'll understand. I haven't seen Beverly in 6 months, and now I get the privilege of meeting the daughter she talked about so often. I wouldn't miss your reunion for the world." Trigger said in the most heartfelt way he could. Bolt looked at the lab and smiled. He was willing to give up the chance of completing his training for Nova. _Well, maybe his intentions are better are better than I thought. For him to go out of his way like this; he must really see something special in Nova. No wonder he likes her mother so much. _Bolt thought as he continued to smile.

"Well, we need to get to a phone book." Trigger said getting excited.

"I see a pay phone over by that gas station." Mittens said looking across the street at a filling station.

"Keep your eyes peeled for Seth too. If he's here in town, we need to be looking." Bolt said as the family walked to the payphone stand outside the building as carefully as they could without being seen too much. Once inside, Bolt shut the swivel door, and Rhino opened the book beginning to flip through the pages, hoping Nova would stop him once she saw something.

**End of Chapter**

Well, it looked like this is gonna be another part 1 and 2 section, but I hope it doesn't leave you with too many surprises. You kinda saw the little crush that Nova had on Trigger, and I've unraveled more secrets about their pasts for you to think about. I will have Part 2 up as soon as I can, but don't expect anything too early, just due to the fact that I'm still in Maryland. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some free time and Wi-Fi. Wish me luck and keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks guys!

Adios!


	9. Shock and Awe PART 2

Well, part 2 for Shock and Awe didn't take too long to put together, just because the idea was fresh in my mind. It will leave you saying things like 'I knew it' and 'Oh, that was cool'. Keep those reviews coming, because I always enjoy seeing 'em.

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Shock and Awe PART 2**

"_Keep your eyes peeled for Seth too. If he's here in town, we need to be looking." Bolt said as the family walked to the payphone stand outside the building as carefully as they could without being seen too much. Once inside, Bolt shut the swivel door, and Rhino opened the book beginning to flip through the pages, hoping Nova would stop him once she saw something. _

"So, where am I supposed to look?" Rhino asked Nova.

"Just flip through the middle of THIS section, and I'll tell you when to stop." Nova ordered Rhino looking at the White Pages part of the phone book.

"It's a little cramped in here." Bolt said looking around the small space they had to move around.

"Yeah, no kidding." Trigger said just as he tripped over his own feet, and bumped into Nova. As he got to his feet, his muzzle brushed up against Nova's. The two dogs looked at each other, completely speechless as they stared into one another's eyes.

"Um… sorry." Trigger said trying to say something instead of just standing there looking like an idiot.

"It's okay." Nova said trying to catch her breath. Nova tried to focus her attention back to the book, lookin at Bolt every once and a while. The expression on his face read 'You really DO have a terrible poker face.' Rhino continued flipping through the pages for some time before Nova stopped him by placing her paw on the book.

"Here! This is it." Nova said looking closer at the page.

"I see about 40 Montoya's in here. In other words, this could take some time." Nova said looking at each member of the group, all of which had looks of frustration placed on their faces.

**(Seth and Simone)**

It had been about 10 minutes since the dog and cat had left the warehouse, and were now turning into the small town of Frazier Park. Their first turn brought them to a house right next to a river, and the SUV parked itself and shut off.

"**YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR DESTINATION. HAVE A NICE DAY!**" said the navigation system in the car. The passenger side door popped open and Simone jumped out, waiting for Seth to do the same.

"Well, aren't you comin'?" Simone asked, and slowly Seth jumped from the cab of the SUV with the door shutting itself right behind him.

"So, who are we here to see?" Seth asked

"You'll see soon enough." Simone said as the pair walked up the front porch. Simone scratched at the wooden door, and within about 10 seconds, it opened, revealing who exactly it was she was here to see.

"Simone!"

"Hey Preston." Simone said as she ran into Preston head-on, knocking him onto his back as they continued with their embrace. The two dogs laughed as they held onto each other with Seth still standing at the door, wondering when she was going to properly introduce him. Simone slowly got off of the husky and let him get to his feet.

"I've missed you, baby!" Preston said as he looked at his lover.

"I've missed you too." Simone said before he pulled her in for a kiss; one that she had obviously been waiting a while for. As they let go, Preston looked at the door to see Seth standing there with a coy smile on his face.

"So who's your friend?" Preston asked

"Oh. Preston, this is Seth." Simone said. Preston looked at the tabby, shocked.

"Seth?" Preston muttered

"I recognize you from the pictures. You must be Preston." Seth said introducing himself.

"Oh My God!" Preston said practically shouting as he rushed to hug the young feline. Seth let Preston have his moment as he was pulled into a tight hug. At one point, he almost couldn't breathe, but he thankfully let go just in time.

"I can't believe I'm looking at the son of Bolt. How've you been?" Preston asked

"I've been better, but hopefully that will change soon." Seth said, leaving Preston to wonder what he was talking about. Simone moved closer to him to whisper in his ear.

"I'll tell you on the way." Preston looked at her, trying to figure out what she was planning.

"I hope you don't have anything planned for the day." Simone said

"Why do I have a feeling that I do NOW?" Preston asked looking at Simone with a curious look on his face.

"I'll take that as a 'NO'." Simone said walking back to the Tahoe, with the door opening once again and Seth jumping in. The door shut, with Simone giving Preston the same speech she gave Kurt outside the warehouse less than a half an hour prior. Seth sat inside the car, thinking about everything that had happened in the last 36 hours. At one point he thought about the possibility that he'd gone too far with his stunt of running away. _She doesn't want me in her life, but that's her choice to find her family. Just because she wants to find them, doesn't mean I have to give up the family I have back home. Why couldn't she just be happy with the life she was given? _Seth thought before he was snapped out of them with the door opening and Preston and Simone jumping in to join him.

"So, Simone tells me that you're trying to get to Bakersfield." Preston said starting conversation. As the talk began, so did the Tahoe, and they were off to their REAL destination.

"That's right. I'm gonna bring Nova and her real family together so I can get her out of my life."

"What did she to you that night?"

"She doesn't see me as her brother. If we'd never found those stupid digital frames, I wouldn't be out here and she'd still be the sister I want her to be." Seth said looking down. Preston looked at the heartbroken cat, wishing he could talk him out of it, but he saw no use in trying. He wouldn't have come this far if wasn't determined to follow through with it.

"Okay! I'll do my best to help in any way I can." Preston said.

"Thanks… Well, I'm gonna try to get some sleep. I barely slept at all last night traveling." Seth said jumping to the front.

"We'll wake you up when we get there." Simone said looking at the front seat.

"Thanks." Seth said before settling down for the rest he never got the night before.

"You really think Eli and Beverly can convince him that he made a mistake?" Preston asked Simone.

"I really hope so. If anything, he'll realize that he made the mistake before someone else has to tell him." Simone said before curling up next to Preston. As she backed up into his chest, she smiled listening to his heartbeat; something she missed having been apart from him for nearly a month.

"Are you sure you need me here, or did you just bring me along because you missed me?" Preston asked smiling widely. Simone looked up at him; a few stray tears falling, which was an obvious sign that she just missed him. Preston brought his arm around her and held her close.

"I used this as an excuse to use the car to get out of the warehouse. I knew you weren't training today, so I gave it a shot and it worked." Simone confessed.

"You do realize you just lied to Kurt." Preston said

"I know, but I'll stay true to my word and bring him home alive. He needs to make things right anyway. I didn't know how much longer I could be away from you." she said nearly sobbing.

"Oh, baby. I'm not that far away." Preston said in a hushed tone, trying to comfort her. For about 10 minutes, the couple just laid there and enjoyed the time they were sharing. Suddenly, Preston got an idea that he had been saving for the next time they were together. He just hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Slowly he looked up down at Simone with a smile on his face, which she easily noticed.

"What?" Simone asked

"You know, I have an idea."

"For what?"

"Something you can look back on and maybe not feel so lonely the next time you think of me."

Simone thought about it for a few seconds before realizing what was on his mind. At first, she thought about it being the right time.

"Are you sure?"

"If something happens, then we take it as it comes. I'm willing to take the chance if you are." Preston said staring into Simone's eyes.

"I am!" Simone said smiling, causing Preston to smile back. Slowly the two of them made their way to the very back of the SUV, and enjoyed their time together in a way that WOULD make them stronger, and put Simone's mind at ease.

**(The Phone Booth)**

The night sky began to slowly creep over the foothills that surrounded the city of Bakersfield, and still crammed inside the phone booth were Bolt, Mittens, Rhino, Nova, and Trigger. They had watched Nova put together a mental puzzle of places to look; tearing the map out from the book and pin-pointed the addresses of each Montoya in the entire city. The process took more time than she had originally planned, and it wasn't long before she looked up to see stars slowly taking form as the evening came upon the valley. Frustrated, she sighed and looked around to see everyone asleep right where they stood. She laughed as she looked at each of them: Bolt and Mittens were leaning up against the door, Rhino was stretched out across the bench, and Trigger… She soon realized that he wasn't inside the booth. Nova looked around and saw that the door was cracked a little, and as she peered outside, she saw him coming back with a bag dragging behind him.

"Where did you go?" Nova asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake her family.

"To get this." Trigger said dropping the bag, and letting the contents spill out onto the ground. Nova saw slices of pizza, donuts and half of a bucket of fried chicken.

"Where did you get all of this?" Nova asked amazed.

"There are a ton of restaurants just down the block. You'd be amazed at just how much good food they throw out." Trigger said

"I'm looking at it." Nova said laughing, which Trigger was happy to laugh along with.

"What time is it?" Nova asked

"I walked by a clock that read 8:06." Trigger answered

"Wow. Was I really looking at that page for more than 5 hours?" Nova asked

"Yeah, pretty much. Did you make any progress?"

"Actually, yeah. I narrowed down how many of the Montoya's live in the country, and that cut the number down to 6. From there, I calculated if any of them had the first name 'Kelly' as the head resident, and it left me with one… THE one." Nova explained, satisfied with the results. Trigger just looked at her with shock, and wondered how she was able to do all of that.

"How did you do all that, exactly?" Trigger asked dumbfounded.

"Finding the addresses on the map took the longest, but everything else was easy. Maybe it's because I can read." Nova said as the two of them sat down to enjoy the bounty of food. Trigger smiled seeing just how much she enjoyed doing all of that research. Nova looked at him, wondering what was making him so happy that he smiled.

"What?" Nova asked

"You're a natural." Trigger said.

"At what?"

"At being an agent. You did all of that research, all of those calculations to pinpoint the exact location of something. To a rookie, that would take weeks to teach. You should be proud of yourself." Trigger said continuing with his compliment. Nova blushed at the remark, which only made Trigger smile more. Nova knew she couldn't hide it, but she DID try her best anyway.

"Well, I feel embarrassed." Nova said

"Don't. To have that ability is amazing… just like you." Trigger said, sweet-talking Nova. The husky couldn't help but shed a tear at the last compliment. She'd never felt this warm sensation in her heart before, but she loved every bit of it. Nova looked at Trigger and scooted closer to him, hoping he would do the same, and he did. She gently laid her head on his arm, and leaned up against his shoulder. Trigger nestled his head right next to hers on the pavement and smiled as they continued to stare at each other. The next thing she knew, Nova felt a soft lick across her cheek, instantly causing her to melt. Trigger laid his head on top of hers and closed his eyes, enjoying one of the best moments of his life. Nova closed her eyes as well, realizing that she did feel a special bond with the lab, one that she wanted to last forever. Within a few minutes, the pair fell asleep, and not long after that, Bolt began to wake up.

"Whoa, somethin' smells good." Bolt said sniffing the air, catching the scent of pizza and chicken. His sudden change of position woke Mittens from her slumber as well.

"What's going on?" Mittens asked groggily.

"Do you smell that?" Bolt asked his mate.

"Smell what?"

"I don't know, but it smells amazing." Bolt said slowly getting to his feet.

"Bolt, where are Nova and Trigger?" Mittens asked as she looked around the phone booth, seeing no sign of either of them. Bolt began to look around and realized that Mittens had a point to her question.

"I don't know." Bolt said as he slid the booth door open slowly, falling to the pavement below and taking Mittens with him.

"Ugh… sorry, baby." Bolt said apologetically.

"Oh, it's okay. I was ready to stretch an…" Mittens began before looking up and seeing a sight she couldn't help but gasp at.

"What?" Bolt asked trying to turn his head to see what Mittens was looking at, but being stopped by her paw pulling his head back towards her.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Bolt asked

"Before I show you, promise me that you will stand completely still and not move a muscle." Mittens said sternly as she stared into Bolt's amber eyes.

"Why?" Bolt asked

"Just promise me." Mittens pleaded once more.

"Uh… okay, I promise." Bolt said. With that, Mittens got off of the shepherd, and let him get up so that he could turn and see what it was that Mittens was making such a fuss about. What he saw brought the same facial expressions that Mittens had on her face when she first laid eyes on it. Trigger and Nova were sleeping together on the cement slab next to the side of the store; Nova's head was resting on Trigger's front paw, with his head on top of hers, and her front paw resting on his other paw. For Mittens, it was a sight that brought tears to her eyes; however, for Bolt, it made his heart break a little, which didn't go unnoticed by Mittens.

"Bolt, you promised me you weren't going to move." Mittens said reminding him of the promise he made, hoping it would prevent him from tearing Trigger to shreds. Bolt didn't take his eyes off of the sleeping couple, and wasn't sure he wanted to.

"I know." Bolt said quietly.

"Bolt, I know you don't exactly like what you see, but…"

"No, Mittens… I do. I'm happy that she has feelings for someone, but…"

"But what?"

"It seems like only yesterday we brought her home." Bolt said; a few tears coming from his eyes. Mittens walked over to her mate and gently placed her head on his shoulder, letting him know that she knew what he was going through.

"Bolt, do you have any idea what would normally happen if she was part of our litter? If we could have kids?" Mittens asked

"What are you talking about?"

"Bolt, if she was part of our litter, she would have found a new home with new owners by now. She would have been given away at 8 weeks. If we waited until now, it would be harder for her to find a home. Puppies are much cuter than full grown dogs, and humans take that to heart. We've been blessed to have her as a part of our lives for so long, but sooner or later, we have to let her have a life of her own… with a new family and maybe even… a new mate." Mittens said looking at Trigger. Bolt never even thought about the fact that he was the perfect example of Mittens' explanation. He was sold at a pet store when he was 9 weeks old, and barely remembered what his parents looked like. It was a lot for him to take in, but he knew that he couldn't win this battle; eventually Nova had to grow up, and he couldn't stop her.

"Parenthood sucks!" Bolt said which caused Mittens to laugh.

"I don't want to see her leave either, but God knows sometime, she has to." Mittens said looking at Bolt, hoping that he would be content with the path Nova was making for herself.

"Well, I don't have to like it completely." Bolt said

"You're not supposed to." Mittens said jokingly, and jumped around in front of him, placed her front paws on his chest and kissed him passionately. As they broke apart, Bolt smiled at Mittens as the went back into the phone booth to get some sleep for the next morning; when they would finally make their trek to the Montoya's house, and hopefully find Seth there waiting for them.

**End of Chapter**

I'll be honest with you guys; in the process of writing this chapter, I shed my fair share of tears. I have two friends back here in Montana that are only a few years younger than me, and they're both like my kids. They're both seniors in high school, both girls, and they both see me as a father figure because both of their fathers are hardly ever around due to jobs as truck drivers, and of how protective I can be at times. It's probably what made writing this chapter so difficult AND easy at the same time. I feel for Bolt! Let me know how I'm doing, guys. You know I love hearing from you!

Adios!


	10. What Happens in Bakersfield

It's been long enough since my last update, and my readers are worth me staying up late to write. At least I hope you guys are. (Just kidding!) You guys are the reason I write in the first place. When I see those reviews pop up a few days after an update, it reminds me why I do this. Thanks guys!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**What Happens in Bakersfield**

A loud knock rattled all three animals awake at such a late time at night, at least it felt late due to the night sky. Seth looked around to see that he was still in the front seat and looked in the back of the SUV to see that Preston and Simone were nowhere to be seen.

"What the…" Seth began before another knock came to the passenger side door that the young tabby was occupying. As he poked his head over the window, he saw two huskies perched down below looking up at him. As Seth sat back down in the seat, he looked at the computer system in the car and wondered if it would respond to his voice.

"Um… computer on." Seth said directly to the screen. After waiting for a few seconds with no response, he spoke again.

"Open passenger door." Seth ordered, this time more stern.

"**OPENING DOOR." **said the computer. Instantly, the passenger side door opened and the two dogs that were standing outside scattered in fear. As Seth looked in the back seat, he saw Preston and Simone look up from the very back of the Tahoe.

"What's going on?" Simone asked looking around.

"I could ask you guys the same thing." Seth said as he stared at the two of them.

"You'll learn about it when you're older. In the meantime, what just happened?" Preston asked getting back on track.

"Well, I… I guess we all fell asleep before we got here, and as you can see, it's dark outside." Seth said before continuing.

"Anyway, there were two dogs standing outside, but when I opened the door, they ran off." Seth finished

"Oh, okay!" Simone said jumping to the front seat, allowing Seth to jump out first before she and Preston followed. As the three of them walked around the property, they noticed a women walking out of the front door to greet the guests.

"Hello." the woman said from about 20 feet away.

"Hi there." Preston said greeting her.

"What can I do for you?"

"We're some old friends of Eli and Beverly." Simone said

"I figured as much, seeing as you can talk." the woman said as she turned around to head back to the door. As it opened, two familiar faces walked out onto the front porch.

"Oh My God." Eli said as he rushed down the front steps and pounced on Preston, knocking him on his back.

"Whoa, déjà vu." Simone said looking at Beverly who was walking casually towards her.

"I won't pounce, I swear." Beverly said as she pulled Simone into a tight hug, which the Ridgeback was glad to return. As the hug got tighter, tears began pouring from Simone's eyes, which Beverly could feel running down her shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey. What's wrong?" Beverly asked softly.

"Eight months is just too damn long." Simone said through her thickened voice.

"I know, it HAS been too long. I didn't expect you guys to come so…" Beverly began before she looked over at Seth, instantly recognizing him from the photo frames.

"Wait a minute… is that who I think it is?" Beverly asked

"It is." Seth said walking up to Beverly.

"Wow. Seth, it's nice to see you again. I guess you don't know who I am."

"No, I know who you are. You're Nova's real mom." Seth said plainly. Beverly looked at Seth, a little surprised.

"How did you…"

"I've seen the frames. I know who all of you guys are." Seth said looking around at each member of the family, who had all come outside to join the party.

"Mom, who is this?" Nichole asked as she stood beside Beverly.

"This is Seth." Beverly said. Each of the kids had looks of complete shock on their faces. It was enough for Seth to know that they know just who he was. Levi and Valerie looked at each other for a quick moment before Levi walked up to introduce himself.

"Nice to meet you, man." Levi said

"Same to you, Levi." Seth said

"So this is really Bolt's son?" Jack asked walking up to his father, who by now had gotten off of Preston.

"Yep." Eli said

"Whoa." Jack said almost star struck.

"So what brings all you guys here?" Beverly asked. Simone looked at Preston, who in turn looked at Seth, giving him the floor.

"Nova." Seth said simply.

"What is it?" Eli asked confused. Seth looked at Beverly, and instantly she knew that something was wrong. She motioned her head to the side, telling everyone to follow her into the house.

**(Penny's House)**

"Mom, it's been 24 hours, and I'm really starting to worry." Penny said pacing back and forth in the living room.

"Where would they go?" Catherine asked

"I don't know. I would like to get a hold of that Kurt guy, but I don't remember where I put his phone number." Penny explained.

"Do they have a website?" Catherine asked once more. Penny instantly looked up and stared at her computer, wondering how she could have missed that.

"Wow, I feel like an idiot." Penny said as she walked over to her laptop and opened the Internet. After searching for about 10 minutes, she came across the company website, and dug a little deeper before finding their contact information.

"Bingo." Penny said satisfied. The teenager pulled out her cell phone and dialed away. As she waited for someone to pick up, she got up out of her seat and starting pacing again.

"Honey, you're gonna wear a hole in the floor." Catherine said giggling a little.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't sit still."

"**Gracin Genetic Enhancements; this is Tanya; how may I help you?" **said a voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi, my name is Penny Russo, and I'm looking for some information about my dog. Is Kurt there?" Penny asked

"**He is, just one moment… Hello?" **Kurt asked taking the call.

"Mr. Gracin, this is Penny Russo. Do you remember me?" Penny asked again.

"**I do. How are you?"**

"Well, I've been better. Um… Bolt and the rest of the family went missing earlier yesterday, and I was wondering if you called them back for some reason, because you're the only person I know who would seek all of their help."

"**Uh… well, the family isn't here. However, the young tabby of your family showed up outside our warehouse yesterday MORNING."**

"He did?"

"**Yeah. Apparently, he and his sister got into a fight the night before about her real family, and he's 'on a mission' to reunite them because she implied that he wasn't her brother."**

"So… where is he now?"

"**Well, one of my agents is escorting him to Bakersfield. After he comes to his senses, she'll bring him back. Do you remember Simone?"**

"Yeah."

"**Well, she's the one who's escorting him. As for the rest of your family, I just don't know."**

"You know what; that's okay. I've already got a pretty good idea of where they are."

"**Wait, you think they went to find him?"**

"Well, knowing Bolt, that would be my first guess."

"**I might be able to help. Do you know if he's wearing his collar? You know, the one that Eli gave him?"**

"Uh… I don't know."

"**Well, that collar has a GPS tracer logged inside the same mechanism that enables him to speak. We have the technology here at the warehouse to locate it over satellite, and I can send the coordinates to your phone."**

"Really?"

"**Yeah, just give me about 2 minutes and we should have him locked on our radar. If he's moving, we'll find him."**

"Oh My God! Thank you so much!" Penny said breathing a sigh of relief.

"**No problem."**

**(Bolt and the family)**

It was now 9:00am, and the group was just waking up from a long night. Nova finally cracked the address, and was sleeping happily in Trigger's hold, while Bolt, Mittens and Rhino stayed inside the sheltered phone booth. Suddenly, Bolt jumped out of his sleep slightly, and got up to stretch. He looked around as if something had awoken him from his slumber, but saw nothing that would cause it. After his yawn subsided, Mittens began to wake up as well.

"You know, that yawn of yours is so cute." Mittens said hopping up on all fours. Bolt laughed a little at the remark before giving her a kiss. The pair exited the phone booth to find Trigger and Nova sleeping in the same position they were in the night before.

"Well, I guess we should wake 'em up." Mittens said walking up to the sleeping couple, but was stopped by Bolt.

"Hold on. I got this." Bolt said with a coy smile plastered on his face.

"Bolt, behave yourself." Mittens said

"Hey, I'm the dad. I can have some fun every once and a while."

"Bolt."

The shepherd walked up to the Trigger and Nova, and laid down right next to them, as if he was waiting for something. Mittens waited for Bolt for a good 10 seconds for him to make his move, but nothing happened.

"Bolt, what are you…" Mittens said before Bolt let out a set of three loud barks, causing Trigger and Nova to practically jump out of their skin. As the two of them began catching their breath, Bolt continued to sit on the edge of the curb and smile widely.

"What was that about?" Nova asked

"Did the two of you sleep well?" Bolt asked. Nova's face now showed signs of shock and her stomach began to churn. Trigger didn't seem too pleased with the recent knowledge that Bolt had obtained either.

"Uh… I guess?" Nova said not sure she should be talking at all.

"Uh-huh." Bolt said walking away. Mittens walked up to Trigger and Nova to fill them in on what was going on.

"Your father and I came out here last night and saw you two sleeping on the sidewalk." Mittens informed.

"Oh great." Nova said sulking.

"Honey, he really IS happy about this, but… he'll probably never admit it."

"Mittens, this is probably my fault. I…" Trigger began figuring he should be the one to take the blame. However, he never got the chance to finish, due to Mittens jumping in to stop him.

"It's not your fault, Trigger. Trust me, he likes you. I know; I'm his mate."

"Hey." a voice from the phone booth said unhappily. The voice was Rhino, who was rudely awakened by Bolt nudging him until he fell off of the seat.

"You could have told me to get up." Rhino said grumpily rolling out in his ball.

"Or I could have barked." Bolt said as he looked back over at his daughter, who gave him an icy glare right back.

"So, did you find the house?" Rhino asked Nova as he rubbed his eyes, still trying to get up.

"I did. The address is 11288 Ridgecrest Road. It's about a one-mile walk from here." Nova explained to the group.

"Honey, you do remember we can't read, right?" Bolt asked

"Right, sorry." Nova apologized

"Before we set off, I need someone to take this collar off." Bolt said jumping in.

"Why?" Rhino asked

"Because I think there's something wrong with it. It almost feels like it's vibrating, and I don't want it to electrocute me." Bolt pleaded. Trigger walked up to Bolt and pulled on the loose strap, snapping the collar free and having it fall to the ground. Both Bolt and Trigger took a closer look at it to see that, in fact, it was vibrating, and a small orange light was flashing on the inside of the strap.

Uh... Bolt?"

"Yeah."

"Where did you get this?" Trigger asked

"A friend of mine gave it to me." Bolt explained

"Bolt, this is a 2nd edition TrackTime collar. It's got a 14-language translator, GPS locator, and 3-line communicator built in to the tag alone."

"In English?" Bolt asked completely lost.

"In other words, it's a phone, navigator, and translator all in one." Trigger explained in a language that the rest of them could understand.

"Why is it flashing?" Mittens asked

"Because it's on." Bolt said out of the blue. Trigger looked at Bolt, wondering how he knew what it meant.

"How did you…" Trigger began

"We used the same model when we were looking for Gracin at the airport last year."

"Sweet."

"Wait… who would be looking for us?" Mittens asked getting back to the subject at hand.

"I don't know. Who would want to find you?" Trigger asked

"Penny." Bolt, Mittens, Rhino, and Nova all said simultaneously.

"Your owner? But there's no way she has this kind of technology. The patent is owned by GGE. She would have to be at the warehouse." Trigger explained.

"Maybe she is." Rhino said.

"So, do we just let her find us?" Nova asked

"Well, if she knows where we are, then she has nothing to worry about. We still have a job to do." Bolt said. Everyone in the group nodded in agreement, and they were off once again to their NEW destination. After about 30 minutes of walking, avoiding the dog catcher, other cars, and other animals, they made it to a dirt road marked 'Ridgecrest Road.'

"Which way?" Bolt asked looking at his daughter. She gave her answer by walking in the direction she knew would take them to the Montoya's home.

"I think I see a sign up ahead." Nova said looking off into the distance.

"It says 'MONTOYA'. That's our stop." Nova said once more. With that, Nova raced towards the home, leaving the rest of her family in the dust. After it settled and the sand was cleared from their eyes, Bolt focused his vision to the driveway, where he saw Nova sitting and waiting patiently for the rest of them to catch up.

"Oh yeah." Trigger said laughing before he too took off at lightning speed, and sprinted to the young husky. She had indeed discovered a new power that she'd possessed: super-speed. Just by the way she and Trigger were chasing each other up and down the dirt road; you could tell that she was enjoying getting to use the newfound ability. Bolt, Mittens and Rhino casually made their way to the driveway, letting the two young canines have their fun. However, in one false move, Nova tripped over her own hind leg and began rolling towards the ditch, and directly in her path was Trigger. Before he could even blink, she barreled into him and sent the two of them rolling down the road, right in front of Bolt. As the rolling stopped, Nova looked down to find herself on top of Trigger, mirroring the smile he had on his face.

"Sorry." Nova said getting off of the black lab.

"It's alright." Trigger said getting to his feet.

"Should we leave you two in the ditch?" Bolt asked teasingly. It wasn't very often he could embarrass Nova, so he would take every chance he got.

"Dad!" Nova said in a hushed tone, beginning to feel embarrassed. As they climbed out of the canal, all of them looked down the long driveway and stared at the house for a good 15 seconds before Bolt turned his gaze over to Nova and spoke.

"Are you ready for this?"

"No.

"Me either." Bolt said, and the family walked down the pathway towards the Montoya residence. What was yet to some would bring more shock and surprise than anything else, but they had already gone this far and there was no turning back… not this time.

**End of Chapter**

My sincerest apologies go out to all of my readers. I am aware that it's been over a week since my last update, and free time was readily available; however, the epiphanies were not. Thank you for being patient with me, and I hope I didn't disappoint. In the next few chapters, you will see more surprises than you could ever imagine. What will Nova think of her real family? Will Nova and Seth make up? One thing is for sure: It will be a lot like my last family reunion. (Which can be good or bad depending on who you are.) See you guys soon.

Adios!


	11. Wild and Wound Up

Well, it's come to this. I've had a major case of writer' block this last week and a half, and it's been killing me to not have that spark that I normally have. I'm on the fence on how this chapter is gonna turn out, but I know if it needs any improvement on the next go around, you guys will tell me. Just like Bud Light; HERE WE GO!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Wild and Wound Up**

Bolt, Mittens, Rhino, Nova and Trigger walked up the front porch, each person with their own level of nervousness. Bolt hadn't seen Eli and Beverly in months, so it meant a chance to catch up on things. Mittens couldn't decide which to be worried about more; whether Seth would be at the house or not, or how Nova would react to meeting her real family. Rhino was excited to see the full-grown pups after eight months in person. Nova's head was going in one-hundred different directions, from fear to anxiety to excitement. As for Trigger… well, like most of the trip, he was just along for the ride.

"Wait a minute. I recognize that car." Trigger pointed out looking at the white Tahoe parked in the driveway.

"Where is it from?" Bolt asked

"The warehouse. It's a registered government vehicle. I recognize the tags on the license plates." Trigger explained. Bolt looked at the lab and wondered who would be using the warehouse vehicle to come up to Bakersfield.

"Who's up here?" Bolt asked with high curiosity in his voice. Suddenly, the front door opened unexpectedly, and standing in the way was Kelly.

"How can I help you?" she asked

"Um… we're looking for Eli and Beverly." Bolt said. However, she just looked at him, confused. Suddenly, he realized he didn't have his collar on; he'd left it back at the phone booth because it was buzzing. Fortunately for them, Kelly instantly recognized Bolt from the pictures and ushered them all into the house. As they took their first steps, they noticed quite a few familiar faces. Not only did they see Eli and Beverly, but also Preston and Simone. All of the faces in the living room went from content to complete shock.

"Holy Crap!" Preston said before running up to the group and knocking Bolt on his back in a massive hug. As soon as one hug started, another one came along with another and another. Before long, everyone on the animals in the group was lost in the embrace of another old friend or new acquaintance. It took some time for each of them to let go of each other, but eventually, it happened.

"Wow, guys. It's been so long." Beverly said smiling.

"I know. I honestly didn't plan on see all of you here." Bolt said looking over at Preston and Simone.

"Neither did we, but Seth needed some help getting here." Simone said. Bolt and Mittens' ears perked up in an instant.

"Wait. Is he here?" Mittens asked getting up on her feet.

"Yeah, I'm here. Seth said coming out from the hallway.

"SETH!" Bolt and Mittens shouted jumping down from the couch and running to their son. Seth was instantly pulled into a breath-stricken hug. Mittens couldn't stop crying as she continued to hold her son. Even Bolt began to shed some tears. As soon as he let go of his son, the look on Bolt's face went from worry to rage.

"Don't you EVER run off like that again. You worried us half to death." Bolt said staring his son down, and scolding him for running away. Seth lowered his head in shame, but still held his ground when it came to his reason for leaving.

"I had my reasons." Seth said looking up at his father.

"So I heard. But next time you wanna run off, think about all of the people you're gonna hurt." Bolt said

"I didn't want to hurt anyone, Dad. But she made me do it." Seth said looking over at Nova, who was sitting alone near the doorway. She had been the only one who hadn't properly introduced herself to everyone in the group. Eli and Beverly looked at their full-grown daughter, with tears coming to their eyes. Suddenly, Nova slowly made her way towards her brother, and sat down in front of him. She figured there was no need to speak with him in private, because eventually, everyone else would become curious.

"I know… what I said hurt you. And I deserve this huge know in my gut right now, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't get the chance to apologize." Nova said

"You meant every word you said. I know; I saw it on your face." Seth said with disgust.

"You're right. I DID mean it. I wanted so much to meet these guys. I wanted to know the truth behind my past, and I let my emotions run my mouth." Nova said truthfully. All of Eli and Beverly's pups looked at each other with shock. They couldn't believe that this was their sister. They had been told so many stories about Bolt and his family, but they were never informed of this one little detail that seemed to be left out of the equation.

"Seth, I am so sorry. Like I said back home; it may not be a blood relation, but you're still my brother… and you always will be." Nova said shedding a few tears. As much as Seth wanted to stay mad at her, his eyes began to swell up as well.

"You know… you're getting better prying emotions out of someone." Seth said sarcastically. Nova laughed as more tears continued to fall to the floor. In an instant, Seth ran to Nova, and jumped at her chest, with Nova catching him as they collided. As they held on, Bolt and Mittens watched their kids with pride. After breaking apart, Nova looked at Eli and Beverly and waited for something to come out of her mouth, but nothing did. She was left speechless, and it scared her somewhat.

"Hi, sweetheart." Eli said trying his best to hold back tears of his own.

"Are you guys…" Nova began to ask before choking on her words. Eli and Beverly nodded slightly as they casually walked up to their daughter and pulled her into a tight hug, letting the tears finally flow.

"You're so beautiful, Nova. Just like the pictures." Beverly said

"So are these guys my brothers and sisters?" Nova asked looking at her siblings.

"They are." Eli said waving his paw forward, letting the others come and introduce themselves.

"I'm Levi."

"Hi Levi. Nice to finally meet you."

"Hey, Nova. I'm Valerie."

"I recognize you from the pictures. Almost all of them had Levi in them with you."

"Yeah, we're kinda… joined at the hip, I guess." Valerie said laughing a little.

"And you must be Jack."

"I am. I can't believe you were raised by him." Jack said looking over at Bolt, practically star struck. Bolt smiled, accepting the kind gesture.

"Yeah, that's my dad." Nova said looking over at Bolt as well. She couldn't help but notice just how close he was to crying. He felt honored to know that she saw him as her father. As she looked back, she saw Nichole and Carmen walking up to meet their sister for the first time.

"I guess that just leaves us. I'm Carmen."

"And I'm Nichole."

"It's nice to finally meet you both. It's so nice to finally meet ALL of you." Nova said looking around the room at each new face. Finally, Nova felt like she had sewn up a part of her past left unstitched. All of her siblings walked up to her for a group hug, with each of them reaching for their own hold of their new sister.

"You know what? Why don't the five of you show Nova and Seth around the farm? We're gonna have a talk." Eli said looking at his kids.

"Okay. I guess I'll lead the way… Wait, who's this?" Levi asked looking at Trigger, who was standing by the stairs. Nova blushed as she looked at the black lab.

"I haven't properly introduced myself, have I?" Trigger said to the group.

"Allow me. Guys, this is Trigger. He's training to be a field agent with GGE." Beverly said smiling as she looked at him. She was happy to be introducing him to her kids; he was a good role model. All of them, with the exception of Nova, stared at the lab, shocked.

"No way. That is so cool." Nichole said complimenting Trigger.

"Thank you." Trigger said looking over at Nova, who continued to smile.

"Would you mind if I joined you on your walk?" Trigger asked

"No, not at all. The more, the merrier." Levi said. Nova's smile grew as he walked closer to her. As they stood next to each other and prepared to walk out the door, Trigger licked Nova's face from cheek to ear, only causing Nova's blush to deepen and her siblings to gasp. While walking out to the backyard, Carmen, Nichole and Valerie all walked alongside Nova with huge smiles.

"Tell… us… everything." Carmen whispered into Nova's ear, causing her to chuckle a little. Another 10 seconds had gone by before they were all out the door, and the only ones left in the house were the adult animals and Kelly.

"Bolt, where's your collar?" Eli asked

"I took it off back at the phone booth. We were trying to find you guys in the phone book, and after we did, I felt the collar vibrating, so I took it off." Bolt explained

"Oh, the tracker was on." Eli said

"I know. Trigger explained it to me. We're pretty sure Penny is looking for us again."

"Speaking of Trigger, what's up with him and Nova?" Beverly asked curiously. Bolt sighed and smiled.

"What do you think?" Bolt asked coyly. Eli and Beverly looked at each other and back at Bolt before speaking again.

"They're in love?" Eli asked

"Well, I don't think they're THAT far along, but the strong feelings are definitely there. Part of me wants to keep her my little girl forever, but I know that's not gonna happen. Sooner or later, I have to let her go… but I trust him." Bolt said confidently.

"Why do you say that?" Eli asked

"Well, he's supposed to be finishing his endurance training by surviving the elements. At least, I think that's what he said." Bolt said hoping he got the explanation right.

"Well, that explains why he's here. He's supposed to be finishing his training." Preston said sighing a little. Bolt suddenly realized that Trigger was one of Preston's recruits.

"He's with you, isn't he?" Bolt asked embarrassed.

"Yeah, he is."

"Preston, don't be too hard on him, this was my fault. Had I known you were gonna be here in Bakersfield, I wouldn't have let him come with us without your permission."

"Whoa, Bolt. Relax! He's my best recruit. I'm not gonna dock him for something like this. Aside from the fact that he loves Nova, was there another reason he wanted to come up here with you guys?" Preston asked

"Uh, yeah. It was because of Beverly. She started the training when he first came to GGE, and I guess he wanted to see her too." Bolt said. Beverly's eyes widened a little hearing this.

"Awww, he came to see me?" Beverly asked with a childish, joking tone of voice. The rest of the group laughed as they tried to get their breath back. They enjoyed the small reunion. It had been too long since they had all seen each other.

"He's a good kid." Beverly said

"He is. He's got a good head on his shoulders." Bolt said. For at least 15 minutes, the group of animals and Kelly sprawled out all over the living room and talked about everything that had happened in the last 8 months. Preston and Simone talked about their official mate ship, Rhino couldn't stop talking about the amount of superpowers Nova had, Eli and Beverly explained all of the powers THEIR kids had, and Bolt and Mittens just sat and listened; not really having anything too exciting to add to the conversation.

"Bolt, I've been watching you the last 15 minutes, and you look like you have something on your mind." Beverly pointed out.

"You always DID have a knack for reading people." Bolt said blatantly.

"Well, yeah. It was kinda my job." Beverly said laughing.

"Yeah, and it shows in Nova. She's really good at interrogating." Bolt said sarcastically.

"Oh my God. Has she actually tried it on you?"

"Multiple times."

"Yep. Like mother, like daughter." Eli said trying to hold back a laugh, only causing Beverly to elbow him in the side.

"So what's wrong?"

"Well, a few things, actually. Now that Nova knows you guys exist, will she want to stay here in Bakersfield or come back home with us?" Bolt asked nervously. Eli and Beverly let out short deep breaths, knowing that the decision wasn't theirs to make.

"I never even thought of that." Beverly said openly.

"Yeah, I figured. She's just now meeting you guys, and I don't want to stand in her way if she wants to stay." Bolt continued.

"We'll just have to ask her. Anyway, what else is on your mind?" Beverly asked

"Is she gonna need training to keep her powers under control? Did you guys have to train YOUR kids how to control their powers?" Bolt asked

"Well, they discovered their powers at really young ages, so teaching them to control their abilities wasn't really a hassle, but I don't know how old Nova was before she found out that she had these abilities." Beverly explained

"About a week ago. She jumped over Rhino in a 10-foot bound from the couch to the stairs one night. She can also read, and has super-speed" Mittens said jumping in.

"One week? Wow. If she's as stubborn as Seth and I, it will take some time. Maybe the teams at GGE can give you some pointers." Beverly said once more.

"Okay, that helps a little. Finally, I know this is kinda off-topic, but it's been on my mind for a while."

"What?" Eli asked

"Have you guys heard from Carson lately?" Bolt asked. Not only did Eli and Beverly cringe at the name, but Preston and Simone did as well, only making Bolt uneasy. He started to wonder if something happened to him. Did he die on another mission? Did he retire? Where was he?

"Well, um… Carson is no longer with GGE." Preston said being the first to start the conversation again. Bolt was taken aback by the statement, looking at each member of the former team.

"What happened?" Bolt asked

"He… he was discharged. One of Kurt's associates said he thought that Carson had been leaking information to an arms dealer in Guatemala. Of course, Carson denied the allegations, but an investigation was put into effect two days later." Preston continued before stopping, hoping that Bolt would be satisfied with answer given. He was, but it wasn't enough for him.

"And…" Bolt said begging for Preston to continue.

"And… they never followed through with the investigation because… he went missing just a few hours after Kurt filed for the search. They were able to obtain a search warrant for his home, but they didn't find him. However, they DID find a letter of resignation, along with $40,000 in the crawl space beneath the apartment complex he lived in."

"He's a dog. How does he live in an apartment complex?" Bolt asked confused

"It's designated to GGE specialists like Carson. That way, they can live alone while still working for society." Simone said jumping in.

"Okay… but where did the money come from?" Bolt asked again.

"We don't know. He's practically dropped off the face of the Earth, so we haven't been able to track him down. And that was 7 months ago." Preston said taking a hold of the conversation again. Bolt then looked at Eli and Beverly and wondered why they never told him.

"Why didn't you guys ever tell us?" Bolt asked

"It was classified. You guys aren't registered agents of GGE, so we couldn't inform you of it. You guys would have to find out on your own, but since we're in the confines of a ranch house in Bakersfield, I don't think it will mean much to hide it from you." Preston said chuckling a little. Bolt tried to laugh along with him, but it wasn't helping much.

"And you guys don't know where he is?" Rhino asked

"The last visual we have of him is at LAX, but he never boarded a plane, he just played along as someone's pet, but we don't know why." Simone said

"Did you do background checks on the humans?" Eli asked out of the blue.

"We ran all of the profiles of people boarding flights that day, but none of them had a German shepherd on the roster." Simone answered. Bolt looked away from the group and went deep into thought, only coming up with one reason for there being no record of his on the flights.

"He stowed away on one of the flights." Bolt said still looking away from everyone.

"But where would he go?" Simone asked. Suddenly, all of them heard shrill screams coming from the front yard. Bolt's ears instantly perked up, knowing his daughter's scream. The shepherd jumped to his feet and ran for the door, trying to open it. Kelly ran up to it and opened it, letting Bolt run outside, with Preston, Simone, Eli, Beverly, Mittens and Rhino right behind him. What they saw made them stop dead in their tracks. All 7 of the dogs were being hauled away in the white Tahoe that Simone, Preston and Seth used to get to Bakersfield, each of them trying to break through the windows and escape.

"NOVA!" Bolt shouted as he ran after the SUV, which was being accompanied by two jet black suburbans with blacked out windows. Unable to catch up to the vehicles as they drove away, Bolt stopped in the middle of the dirt road, and fell in agony.

"Bolt." Eli shouted as he and the rest of the group caught up to him on the road.

"What just happened?" Simone asked

"They took her. They took my baby." Bolt said groaning in grief, and crying like crazy. Mittens ran to his side and held him as best she could.

"Dad." a voice shouted from back at the house. Bolt turned around to see Seth running towards him from the corner of the driveway. Bolt ran as fast as his legs could carry him to his son and pulled him into his arms.

"Seth, what happened?" Mittens asked as she ran to them.

"Well, we were being shown around the farm and when we got to the front of the yard, we saw that the door to the Tahoe was open. They jumped inside to see if something was wrong with it, and then the door just shut and locked on them. I could see Nova screaming from the window, and I… I couldn't help her." Seth said breaking down. Bolt pulled him back into his chest and let him cry. Seth continued to pant heavily, and began having a panic attack. Even through the pain he was feeling, Seth continued to tell the others what happened.

"Then the car started and two huge black cars came out of nowhere and drove off with the Tahoe right behind them. I tried to run for the back door, but when I got back there, you guys weren't inside."

"We ran outside when we heard Nova scream." Bolt said

"I ran back around and saw you guys out here in the road, and… and I'm so sorry Dad." Seth said still buried in his father's chest.

"Oh, son. It's okay. It wasn't your fault. We'll get them back." Bolt said trying to assure Seth that he had done nothing wrong. The tabby just carried on with his panic attack and crying, not sure what else to do. Eli and Beverly were being comforted as well by Preston and Simone.

"Bolt." Rhino called from back at the start of the driveway, looking down at the ground. Bolt let go of Seth and ran to Rhino, wondering what he needed.

"What is it?" Bolt asked as he approached the hamster.

"Look." Rhino said looking down at a piece of paper. Bolt, not being able to read, backed up and let Preston in front to read it out loud:

'**IT'S BEEN A WHILE. IF YOU WANT YOUR PUPS BACK, YOU'LL BRING $100,000 TO 168 WOODWARD AVENUE IN BAKERSFIELD BY FRIDAY AT 6:00PM. FOR EVERY HOUR THAT GOES BY, ONE OF THEM DIES. IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHO I AM, JUST THINK BACK!'**

**-CARSON**'

**End of Chapter**

What? You thought the reunion was gonna be it?" Oh, come on! You guys obviously don't know me well enough. I told you this story was gonna be longer than the original. Well, things are about to get shaken and stirred with this story, or in the case of the chapter title: Wild and Wound Up. Keep watching for the next update and keep those reviews coming. Seey ou guys soon!

Adios!


	12. Hold On for Dear Life

I know you guys have been on the edges of your seats waiting for Chapter 12. And honestly, who wouldn't be? I just spent the last 2 days getting moved into a new apartment, so I've been exhausted from all of the manual labor. However, the story must continue. We just found out that Carson has gone rogue, but it does explain why he hasn't been mentioned at all in the story lately. Well, there will be a few more twists and turns in this story, but some will have to wait. For now…

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Hold On for Dear Life**

"I can't break through the windows." Jack said panicking as the Tahoe continued to drive down the highway.

"The windows are bulletproof. Even super strength couldn't break them. We'll just have to wait and be patient." Trigger explained to the group. Nichole and Carmen were curled up in the very back seat crying, while Nova was still working on trying to bust through with windshield. Seeing her desperation, Trigger jumped to the front seat and tried to calm her down.

"Nova, Nova." Trigger shouted trying to get her attention. After a few more failed attempts to break the glass, Nova slowly backed away from the window and started to cry silently as she sat down in the front seat. She felt like she had lost, and it was breaking her. Trigger sat down next to her and pulled her into his shoulder, where she was free to let it out. Even though her sobbing was silent, Trigger knew she was scared, and he was determined to get her to safety, along with her siblings.

"Nova, look at me." Trigger said softly. Nova pulled her head out of her chest, and looked at Trigger with red eyes, moistened from her breakdown.

"We're gonna get outta here, okay?" Trigger said with assurance.

"Trigger, I'm scared." Nova said trying to fight off her continuous tears.

"I know, but I need you to trust me… I need you to tell the others to calm down. We need to wait until we get to where this stupid car is taking us."

"What do you mean 'It's taking us'?"

"Someone is controlling it right now. It'll stop at its destination, and when it does, THEN we can plan on our escape. But until then, I need you and the rest of your family to stay calm." Trigger explained. He saw how hard it was for Nova to cease her panicking, but eventually, she did. Once more, she looked up and Trigger and stared into his eyes.

"Come here." Trigger said pulling her back into his chest, licking her cheek before he did so. Her fear seemed to temporarily disappear as he continued to hold her.

"Trigger." Levi called from the rear driver side door.

"Yeah."

"Do you know where this thing is taking us?" Levi asked

"I don't. We're just gonna have to wait and find out." Trigger answered. Levi nodded, wishing he would have heard something differently, but knew, just like everyone else, he would have to be patient. The young husky walked along the back seat, and curled up next to Valerie, who seemed to be cowering at the edge of the seat.

"It's okay, Val. We'll make it outta here. I trust him." Levi whispered into Valerie's ear, as he moved closer and placed his forearm around his sister, trying his best to comfort her. After another 10 minutes of unknown travel, the seven dogs, along with two other SUV's parked themselves in front of a mystery house back in Bakersfield. All of the canines looked out the side windows only to be met with unfamiliar territory.

"What the…" Levi began before the doors opened and two men dressed in 3-piece suits placed leashes and collars on each of them, and walked them up the front steps and inside the house. As they looked around, they saw the complete lack of furniture, except for one table. The group of dogs was led down a flight of stairs to the basement, where at least 10 individual dog kennels were set in places, all of which with the doors opened.

"Alright, each of you get inside." one of the men ordered, telling them to pick a cage. Slowly, each of the canines chose one, safe for Nova and Trigger, who both ducked underneath the men and took a cage together.

"Hey, did you not hear what I said?" the man asked, only causing Trigger to deliver a fierce growl, with Nova cowering behind him. The assailant took a few steps back in fear as Triggers growl turned into a heavy bark.

"You can either be picky, or lose a hand. It's your choice." Trigger said angrily. The fact that a dog was talking to the man didn't seem to faze him at all, which led everyone in the group to believe that they were dognapped because of their genetic abilities.

"Fine." the man said as he shut the cage forcefully and locked it, with Trigger still giving him the death glare as he did so.

"What do you want from us?" Valerie asked

"It's not what I want." the man said opening the door, allowing a German shepherd to walk into the room. The mystery dog sat down in front of the group and looked at each one of them.

"I can still remember the day all of you were born." the dog said slyly, almost as if he was reminiscing.

"Who the hell are you?" Trigger asked getting to the point.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners?... the name is Carson." Carson said revealing himself. Each of the dogs looked at each other, all of them, safe for Trigger, full of confusion.

"Ok, again… who are you?" Nova asked

"He's a member of 'The Phantom Five.' Or at least… he was." Trigger said bitterly.

"Oh, come on Trigger. There's no need to be rude." Carson said nonchalantly, as if he were talking to an old friend.

"Actually, there is. All of those rumors about you selling information to arms dealers in South America; they were true; ALL of them. You used to be a part of one of the greatest teams of secret agents to ever exist… and you just threw it all away."

"I enjoyed taking out the bad guys, just like the TV shows. It meant less competition for me and my arms business."

"What's 'The Phantom Five.'?" Valerie asked

"It WAS a group of elite superdogs, trained in special forces." Carson began, only to be picked up by Trigger.

"It was composed of this idiot right here, Carson, your parents Eli and Beverly, Preston and Simone." Trigger finished

"I'm not an idiot, Trigger." Carson said casually.

"You're right; you're a son of a bitch." Trigger said clarifying his statement, and getting angrier with the change.

"Well, thank you. I normally appreciate comments like that. But I don't think your new friends here would like to suffer because of your choice of words… so, if you don't wanna see any of them hurt, I suggest you keep your mouth shut, and your opinions of me to yourself." Carson said walking up to the cage and staring at the black lab. After about 20 seconds of the two canines staring at each other, Trigger eventually backed away.

"What do you want?" Levi asked hoping it would draw Carson's attention away from Trigger.

"Well, your parents will be bringing $100,000 to this address sometime before Friday night, as long as they want to see you alive again."

"You used to be one of the good guys, and you're gonna take money from people who used to be your friends."

"They were never my friends. I spent four years as team leader of 'The Phantom Five', and even with all of that time, I still couldn't destroy them. Eventually, they would find out that I ran an illegal firearms distributor out of Central America. And when they did, I would be tried and convicted. I had to eliminate them; it was that simple." Carson began explaining before Levi stepped in.

"Except it wasn't simple, because they're all still alive."

"You're catching on quick, kid. I'm guessing your parents told you the story about how Bolt joined the team to help take down Lamb and Ferris to save our boss." Carson said looking at the kids. Nova looked up and perked her ears.

"Uh, yeah." Levi said

"Well, THAT was supposed to be their downfall. I figured that because Bolt had no genetic enhancement, he would just slow us down and only make things worse. Lamb and Ferris didn't really kidnap Gracin, they were hired by me." Carson said with an evil look. All of their mouths dropped. It wasn't a mission, it was a setup.

"And if I had succeeded, the six of you wouldn't have been born." Carson said; his anger staring to build. However, it was Trigger's anger that seemed to be boiling over, as he ran for the chain-link, trying to break through. Unfortunately, he was stopped by an electric current coursing through his body from touching the cage. Nova began to scream in fear as she grabbed Trigger's tail, pulling him away from the cage.

"Oh my God, Trigger." Nova said still panicking, as smoke began to fill the air, and his body lie lifeless on the concrete floor. Carmen, being in the cage right beside them, walked over to the side, and could only watch as her sister tried her best to hold onto Trigger.

"Relax, he's not dead. The electric current just stunned him. He'll wake up in a few minutes." Carson said bitterly, showing no emotion.

"Yeah, but when I get out of this cage, you won't be so lucky." Nova said getting angry herself.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart; whatever you say." Carson said walking out of the room, with his 'bodyguards' following him, only leaving the seven dogs alone in the dark room. The only light seemed to come from a small window next to the far wall, properly called an egress window. Nova was still holding onto Trigger for another 5 minutes before he finally started to move. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find Nova sprawled over him.

"Ugh… what just happened?" Trigger asked, still somewhat out of it.

"Oh my God, Trigger." Nova said close to tears as she pulled his head close to hers. He began to feel tears running down her cheeks and onto his neck.

"It's okay, Nova. I'm right here, just tell me what happened." Trigger said trying to get to his feet, but unfortunately was brought down by his own weight. Nova crouched down to his side.

"I'll only tell you if you… just don't move."

"Okay."

"You were electrocuted. This cage shocked you when you tried to run through it. I guess superpowers don't work against electricity, huh?" Nova asked with some hilarity, trying to make the best of their bad situation. Trigger couldn't help but laugh along with her.

"Trigger, are you okay?" Carmen asked from the next cage.

Ugh… yeah. Just give me a minute." Trigger said with an almost gravelly tone.

"You scared me to death." Nova said returning to her short outburst.

"Sorry. I thought I could break through." Trigger explained as he finally got to his feet. As he looked into Nova's eyes, he stopped, as if they were drawing him in. He knew how he felt about her, but he still felt somewhat uncomfortable. He looked away, almost embarrassed. Nova slowly pulled his face back towards hers with her muzzle and smiled.

"It's okay. We'll get outta here; just like you said." Nova said still smiling. Eventually, Trigger forced a smile to his face, but it didn't last too long because of what happened next. Nova leaned in closer to his face and in one swift motion, they kissed. Both of them were completely lost in their own worlds of pleasure. For one moment, the world seemed to stop spinning, and the defining moment that they had found their soul mate may have come to them. As they slowly pulled away, Nova and Trigger both looked to the side to see their siblings staring at them, with looks od shock, confusion, and happiness.

"Um, you two will have plenty of time for that later. For now, CAN WE PLEASE FOCUS ON GETTING OUT OF HERE?" Jack asked trying to get their game plan figured out. Trigger looked back at Nova and smiled widely, which Nova mirrored quickly.

"Yeah. Friday night is about 48 hours away. Any ideas?" Trigger asked

**(Bolt and the group)**

"Do you know where this house is?" Bolt asked Kelly as they made their way inside the house.

"No, but I can find it. Give me about 10 minutes." Kelly said walking away. Where she was going, Bolt would have to wait and find out. Meanwhile, he turned his attention back to everyone else: Mittens was still trying to comfort Seth, Beverly was pulling out a computer that she hadn't used since she'd retired. Eli was on his headset phone; trying to get a hold of someone, Preston was in the backyard with Simone; seeing her run back outside moments ago. Bolt decided to see if they were okay, and made his way through the kitchen amongst all of the chaos and out the screen door.

"Hey, are you guys alright?" Bolt asked.

"Yeah, Simone's just feeling a little sick." Preston said with his forearm around Simone's shoulder.

"With everything that just happened, I don't think my stomach could have taken much more unless I got some fresh air." Simone said taking a few deep breaths when she could.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Preston asked

"Yeah, I just need some air." Simone explained

"Okay."

"I'm gonna go back inside. If you guys need us, come get us." Bolt instructed, to which both Preston and Simone both nodded. Bolt walked back through the screen door and walked back into the living room.

"Bolt, come here." Beverly called. The shepherd wasted no time in following her commands.

"What is it?"

"I've been doing some research on recent suspicious activity reported by Bakersfield law enforcement, and I found a few things that don't add up when you connect them to Carson."

"Like?"

"Like one week ago, when Ridgecrest County Police Department recovered a small arsenal of handguns from a storage unit when it went up for auction. All of their serial numbers trace back to Guatemala City."

"Wait, wasn't that where Carson was 'supposedly' leaking information to?"

"It's no longer a suspicion. He WAS leaking info. Carson has gone rogue. I'll see if I can find who signed the name on the storage rental."

"Okay." Bolt said, not really understanding much of what she was talking about. He decided to see if he could be of any help to Eli as he walked up to the Ridgeback, who was just ending a call.

"Well, what did you find?" Bolt asked

"I just got off the phone with Gracin. He's sending an assault unit to back us up if we need it."

"We won't need it." Bolt said out of the blue. Eli looked up at him.

"What?"

"We were able to take down Lamb and Ferris last year; just the five of us. Who's to say we can't do it again?"

"Bolt, we don't know how much of an army Carson has accumulated in the last 8 months. There could be dozens of armed guards waiting to blow us to bits outside that house if we decided to storm it."

"We can still outsmart him. But we're gonna need to get that money… oh and there's one more thing we'll need."

"What's that?"

"My vest." Bolt said smiling. Eli looked at Bolt as a huge smile appeared on his face. Eli gave a simple nod before running off to call Gracin again to give them a rough draft of their battle plan. Mittens and Seth walked up to see what all of the fuss was about.

"Honey, what's going on?" Mittens asked

"Gracin is sending an assault unit up here to Bakersfield… along with my vest." Bolt said reluctantly, knowing Mittens wouldn't like seeing her mate go back into battle.

"Oh, God."

"Mittens, I can't let Nova die. I'm going to save her." Bolt said firmly; his mind made up. Mittens wanted to protest, but knew how hard-headed he was.

"Dad, please don't do this." Seth said pleading with his father not to go.

"Son, listen to me. If I don't go, your sister might not come back. You've already made up with her, and I intend to make sure it stays that way. You two depend on each other, just your mother and I do. I'm gonna bring her back, so that you always CAN depend on each other. Do you trust me?" Bolt asked his son. Seth had to hold back his tears as he nodded. Bolt pulled him into a hug, where Seth let it out silently.

"Okay."

"You've done it before; you can do it again." Seth said encouraging his father.

"Thanks, son."

**End of Chapter**

Well, she's done. With more drama to come. I hope this chapter filled in some gaps for you guys, and I also hope I'm still the writer you guys have grown to love. Keep sending in those reviews. I love 'em!

Adios!


	13. Battle Stations

We've officially hit Lucky 13! I'm currently sitting in my living room with little inspiration; so I'm hoping that some free-writing will bring a winner out of my mind. I guess you'll just have to wait and find out… because I have to do the same thing. Before I forget, I've found pictures of some of our characters online that I think best suit just who they are. If you would like to see them, just go to my profile page and scroll down until you see the links. I'm having trouble creating hyperlinks to the exact pages, so you'll have to copy and paste them to your web browser. Tell me what you think of them, because I would love to know.

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Battle Stations**

**(Bolt and the gang)**

It had been 2 hours since the kids had been kidnapped, and each member of the group has their own set of tasks to accomplish. The ordeal was getting to Simone more than she thought it would, and eventually, she had to leave the room and lay down. Preston would go and check on her every once and a while just to make sure she was okay; which she was with a little time. While going back and forth with Simone, Preston was on the phone with Gracin, telling him to send his team to their location. As much as Bolt didn't want more people involved that could get hurt, it was just the protocol he would have to follow. He wasn't the leader of this team, but it didn't stop him from wanting to take control every once and a while, even if it was out of fear for his daughter's life. Eli and Beverly were going over the blueprints of the address that had been given to them on the ransom note, and noticed something that didn't help their situation at all.

"Eli, what's this?" Beverly asked nuzzling her spot on the page.

"What's what?" Eli asked

"This date. It says 'renovation schedule: March-May 2011'. What does that mean?"

"It means the house has been renovated. It included the addition of 2 sub-basements. It already had **one**, but they added two underground levels."

"Who's they?"

"The new owners. Do you have a name on the building code?"

"Yeah, its… 'Schafer, Daniel'." Beverly said.

"Kelly!" Eli called to his owner as she entered the room.

"Yeah."

"I need you to check AFIS for arrests made in the last year with the name: Daniel Schafer."

"Worldwide or nationwide?" Kelly asked

"Worldwide. If this guy is working with Carson, then he has connections with Central and South America." Eli said clarifying his order.

"You got it!"

As they continued with their duties, Bolt, Mittens and Seth were sitting in Kelly's room, trying their best to stay calm. Bolt continued to pace as more and more possible ideas came to him, only to be shot down by too many risks that he knew he couldn't avoid. Mittens watched as his train of thought stayed locked on to the mission. Seth was the only one in the room who was laying down, and even that seemed to be an impossible feat as he squirmed in his spot on the bed.

"I need some air." Bolt said as he walked out into the hallway, continuing to pace for another minute or two. Mittens stepped out in the hall just in time to see him stop where he stood and stare at the floor. She knew that look on his face and it was killing her to see him like this. It was the look of defeat. As she continued to watch, Bolt started to shed a few silent tears; each one hitting the carpet below as they rolled from his eyes.

"Bolt." Mittens said silently, making her presence known. Bolt looked over at her slowly, turning his head to see Mittens walking to his side, brushing up against his shoulder and looking him in the eye.

"It's not a crime to cry." Mittens said blatantly.

"You should know by now that I suck at showing my emotions." Bolt said looking back at the floor. Before Mittens could respond, Seth walked out in the hallway to join his parents. Bolt quickly wiped away as many tears as he could, not wanting his son to see him in pain.

"Dad, stop." Seth said. Bolt looked at his son and wondered why he would say that.

"Stop what?" Bolt asked genuinely confused.

"Stop holding back. Somewhere behind that white fur is the strong-willed dog that saved the life of a great man, stopped two criminals from committing murder, and walked away from it with his life. It's also the same dog that's name is printed on that Bronze Star sitting on our fireplace mantle." Seth said trying to snap his father out of his 'tough guy' state. Bolt was suddenly taken back to the night he was riding back to the warehouse after the mission was completed, and how he felt about being the 'superdog' he used to be on his TV show. He felt strong, and he did everything his son had just mentioned without genetic enhancement.

"My dad is NOT one to stand on the sidelines. He doesn't mope about a problem he can easily fix… He's a hero." Seth said beginning to cry. Bolt pulled his boy into his arms, and instantly felt his adrenaline skyrocket. It was the same feeling he had back in the van. He WAS a superdog; he just had to believe it.

"Thank you, son!" Bolt said as he continued to hold Seth.

"You're welcome."

"Bolt!" Preston called from the other end of the hallway.

"Yeah!"

"We've got some info about the guy who rented the storage unit with the guns."

"What is it?"

"The name on the rental agreement is Daniel Schafer. It's also the same person that owns the home our kids are being held at."

"That's great!"

"However, we have a problem."

"What?

"The house has been recently renovated. Schafer added 2 sub-basements underneath the house, which means the kids could be being held under heavy security. Carson covered all of the bases when it came to planning this heist. And if he added another sub-basement, then he might have an even bigger arsenal kept there too." Preston explained as he walked towards the group of animals.

"It doesn't matter how much security they have. I have an idea."

"Care to share?" Preston asked

"I'll explain in the living room." Bolt said, leading Preston, Mittens and Seth to the front of the house, where everyone except for Simone was sitting in a circle waiting for them to show up.

"Where's Simone?" Bolt asked

"She's still resting." Preston answered.

"She's gonna want to hear this." Bolt said

"I'll just tell her later. Do you have a plan?" Preston asked getting back to the point.

"Yeah. Do we have the money?" Bolt asked once more.

"We do. A couple members of my team dropped it off along with your vest."

"Perfect." Bolt said feeling more confident.

"What exactly are you planning?" Beverly asked

"Here's my idea: We make a partial deal with them. We negotiate to give them half when we arrive and half when we get the kids back. We will drop off the first duffel bag in a public place where we have multiple witnesses in case something goes wrong. But here's where the plan changes; Inside the bag will be the money, a note telling them where they can pick up the second payment… and Rhino. He'll be hiding in the side compartment. He can jump out as soon as he makes it inside the house and find the kids."

"Whoa, Bolt! Are you sure you want to risk Rhino getting hurt?" Beverly asked

"We've already talked this over. I'm ready." Rhino said from the armrest of the couch. Eli and Beverly looked at Bolt, almost seeming angry.

"You went behind our backs and made your own plan, didn't you?" Eli asked

"Is it gonna work or not?" Bolt asked getting to his feet, and placing himself in a defensive position.

"I don't know; you tell me." Eli said getting to his feet as well and coming muzzle to muzzle with Bolt.

"I have a right to voice my opinion." Bolt said getting closer.

"Voicing your opinion is one thing; making a plan without my permission is another. Don't forget; you aren't the only one with kids stuck in the middle of this." Eli said placing his head against Bolt's.

"What makes you think you're team leader?" Bolt asked pushing Eli back a few feet with his head.

"Genetic Enhancement and experience; that's what!" Eli said pushing Bolt back into the wall, before Beverly stepped in to pull her mate back before he killed the shepherd, and Preston getting in between the two of them.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP! NO ONE IN THIS ROOM IS GONNA DIE TODAY." Preston said forcefully. The husky walked up to Eli, causing the Ridgeback to sit back on his haunches, almost like he was fearful.

"Eli, we know you have experience and genetic enhancement, and that does make you a very valuable member of this team, but it doesn't give you the right to neglect everyone else. We are one group with many opinions." Preston said backing away and turning around to get in Bolt's face.

"As for you, I'm grateful to have you on our team as well. Gracin wouldn't be alive if it weren't for your help last year, and you DO deserve that Bronze Star. But, it doesn't make you **king of the world.** You haven't been in this agency nearly as long as we have. We've dealt with situations like this before, so we know what we're doing. Don't think for one minute that we don't!" Preston said forcefully before backing away once more before turning to face the entire group.

"I know that the both of you are scared. Your kids are in danger, and we're gonna save them; nevertheless, I don't wanna see this rescue mission turn into a bloodbath when the two of you are supposed to be friends. We need to trust each other before deciding on a plan, because if we don't, then the mission falls apart and the kids might not survive. Does everyone understand?" Preston asked to find all of them nodding their heads, even if two of them were in reluctance.

"Thank you. Now, Bolt! Let's say Rhino DOES manage to make it inside without injury. What's gonna happen when he finds the kids?"

"Well, if we can concoct a plan to completely destroy Carson's whole group, then we can get the kids to play a part too. They all have genetic enhancement, right?" Bolt asked

"Yeah." Beverly answered.

"If they can all work together WITH US to stop Carson, then we win and everyone survives. But we need someone to fill them in on our plan. That's where Rhino comes in." Bolt said continuing with his explanation.

"He gets inside, tells them the plan, we meet Carson and his group somewhere to give them the other half of the ransom, and take them out as a team?" Beverly asked, to which Bolt simply nodded. Everyone in the group looked at each other and exchanged looks of agreement and satisfaction. Even Eli seemed to like the idea, even if he let his fear control his emotions only moments before.

"Alright, do we have an agreement?" Preston asked the group once more, receiving nods from all members. Within 30 minutes, a genius plan had been constructed with key roles for each of them that would ensure a better chance for success. Simone was also able to be read into the mission after some time asleep. Her sickness seemed to subside after another hour and she was up and running with the group laying out blueprints, finding a place to make the drop-off and more. The finished product was to be taken into effect at noon the next day, which meant some time for each member of the group to get the sleep they desperately needed for the long day ahead of them. Night fell among the rolling hills and the sky was almost completely black except for a few stray stars and a lunar eclipse set moon blanketing the south. Bolt was on the back porch gazing at the sight, having been unable to sleep, even though he knew he needed it. His inability to sleep was natural, but it bothered him that he felt weak in a time like this, when he needed to be strong.

"Hey, Bolt?" a voice called from behind him. Bolt turned around to see the figure walk through the doggy door and join him on the porch.

"Hey, Eli." Bolt said showing very little emotion other than sorrow.

"You can't sleep either, huh?" Eli asked

"No. God knows I've tried."

"I know how you feel… Listen, Bolt; I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I shouldn't have shot down your idea like that." Eli said apologetically.

"No, I'm the one that should be sorry. You DO have experience and I should have taken that into account… Can you forgive me?" Bolt asked trying to hold back the tears. Eli walked up to his broken-hearted friend and hugged him, knowing just how he felt being fearful for their kids' lives.

"There's nothing to forgive. I'm scared too." Eli said tightening the hug. From the screen door, Beverly watched the sight and couldn't help but worry if the love the two fathers had for their kids would be enough to save them the next day. Her mind was flying in more directions than she cared to count, and most of them had to do with her own kids. However, on one thought, she wondered how Nova was reacting to the situation. _I've never seen her use her powers. Can she control them well enough to use them? I can't help but worry. _Beverly thought as she turned around and walked back to her room to be with Mittens and Seth; two people who were in just as much pain as she was.

**(The Kids)**

Midnight had fallen upon the valley, and still trapped inside the basement were the kids. They had been throwing ideas back and forth when it came to a decent escape, and they had made progress with one of them.

"Okay, so what's your idea again?" Valerie asked Levi.

"All we have to do is jump at the same time upwards to the ceiling. If we can all jump hard and high enough, our genetic enhancement will help us bust through and we can make a break for it. Trigger, what room did you say we were below?" Levi explained before handing Trigger the floor.

"I think we're below the kitchen."

"You think?"

"Well, we got down here so fast; I wasn't paying that much attention. But I keep hearing running water right above us, so I'm hoping it's the kitchen faucet. Anyway, once we hit the kitchen, we run for the windows and make a break for the street."

"That's brilliant." Carmen said complimenting them on their genius plan.

"And what do we do if there ARE guards up there?" Valerie asked

"Give 'em a good head butt. They'll still be clutching their stomachs by the time we get to the main road." Trigger explained trying not to laugh, but the laughter of everyone else only made resisting that much harder.

"I like it." Carmen said smiling.

"Wait! Where do we go when we hit the streets?" Jack asked bringing up his own question, to which Trigger turned his head to the side in thought. He had plenty of time to get a feel for his surroundings when they had arrived at the house, but was too busy comforting Nova.

"Good question."

"How about everyone find the nearest car that's driving by, and follow it. That way, we can meet up as a group and find a place to hide together." Nova said throwing her own idea into the so-called 'circle'. All of the dogs looked at her, shocked. Trigger was smiling seeing her genetic brain at work.

"That could work." Jack said blatantly.

"Yeah, it could." Trigger said continuing to smile, with Nova smiling back at him.

"And we try this tomorrow morning when they bring down our breakfast?" Valerie asked

"Yep. This way we have a better chance of there being less people upstairs. We can make a break for it without them having time to see where we're going. They'll still be running up the stairs." Trigger said still smiling. Each of the dogs looked at each other and smiled.

"Looks like we have a plan." Nova said smiling. With that said, the group laid down where they were and tried to get some sleep, save for Nova and Trigger, who were too busy trying to get comfortable in the corner of the cage. Trigger leaned his body up against the concrete wall of the basement, leaving Nova with an open chest to bury her head into. They looked at one another lovingly and each planted a soft kiss on their lover's lips. After a few minutes of nuzzling and getting more comfortable, the couple fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

**End of Chapter**

Awww! How cute! If it isn't already obvious enough, Trigger and Nova are just the cutest couple to be placed in the story. I was originally gonna have Bolt get kidnapped WITH the kids, giving him the chance to give the 'new couple' his words of advice. However, I'm also giving Trigger the chance to show that he can protect Nova and her siblings in this time of need. One favor to ask of my readers: I HAVE MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK. I have no idea how my next few chapters are gonna pan out other than the fact that each of the groups has made their own plans, and are gonna mix each other up with their activations. If you have some ideas, send me them via PM message, and credit will be appropriately given. A continued thanks to all of my readers and reviewers. You guys are a great group, and I'm happy that you approve.

Adios!


	14. Execution

I'm back with Chapter 14, and an even bigger case of writer's block than before. Chapter 13 may have been decent, but it was just a throw-away chapter. However, as I type, the gears in my head are beginning to turn once more; so we're met with the same dilemma as last time. Write and Pray! (That's gonna be the name of a band one day. HAHAHA!)

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Execution**

The endless night eventually gave into the rising sun of the early morning, and even with the little sleep they had achieved the night before, today was the day of reckoning. Turning back and making sudden changes was no longer an option. Bolt, Eli, Preston, and Beverly were sitting on the back porch for one last talk before the mission was to be carried out.

"Well, the last time we did this, the conditions were somewhat similar. But now, we're fighting one of our own." Beverly said

"He doesn't belong to this company anymore." Preston said openly.

"Yeah. His decision to throw away his life on the good side was his own. It's just gonna be sweet watching him die." Eli said getting a little carried away.

"Eli, please! He may have gone rogue, but he still did great things for our team." Beverly said interrupting her mate.

"Like I said, the second he decided to kidnap my kids, his life was over… And it WILL be soon enough." Eli said standing his ground before walking back inside the house. His parental instincts were kicking in, only making staying calm that much harder for him. Bolt watched as his friend walked through the door, before turning his head slowly back towards the front. His eyes felt heavy; not from lack of sleep, but from lack of focus. Beverly was fairly quick to notice the emotions on the shepherd's face.

"Bolt." Beverly said instantly grabbing his attention.

"Um, yeah." Bolt said somewhat out of it.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Not… really." Bolt said blatantly. As Beverly prepared to speak, Kelly walked out to the porch.

"The van is stocked and ready to go. What about you guys?" Kelly asked

"Uh, yeah. We'll be ready in a few." Preston said. As Kelly nodded and returned to the house, Preston followed her step for step.

"I'll give you guys some time." Preston said before disappearing into the house himself. Beverly looked over at Bolt, who was now walking slowly towards the steps that led to the yard. The malamute walked up to his side and stopped him from going any further.

"What's going on, Bolt?" Beverly asked. She waited for a response for at least 30 seconds before he looked up at her, on the verge of tears.

"I'm scared."

"But you've done this before."

"Before, I didn't really know what I was doing. I joined the team to take your place, and even with all of the training, I don't know if I can do it." Bolt said trying his best not to shake in fear. Beverly walked up to him and pulled his head towards hers in a short hug.

"Bolt, before I joined GGE, I used to live in an airport with three other dogs in Vancouver. We lived in this secret room no one ever went into, and I thought they would support me if any danger ever came our way… but I was wrong. One day, one of the janitors opened the door unexpectedly, and found us all huddled together in fear. Within a half an hour, animal control was called and we were taken through the airport for everyone to see. They all hid behind me like a bunch of cowards, when I thought we would stand together and fight if something like that ever happened… They let me down. But your situation is different. You have Mittens, Seth, Rhino, Preston, Eli, Simone, Kelly, and I to stick with you when you're scared. I don't want anyone to depend on me if I can't help them, and I'm determined not to leave you hanging like those three did to me. I don't make promises I can't keep, but I CAN promise you this… I promise I will fight by your side every second that you need it. And I know everyone else will do the same thing." Beverly said truthfully. Bolt looked at her and wondered how someone so brilliant could come from such a hard life, and become something bigger than herself… a secret agent.

"This is a shared battle, Bolt. And we… are your fellow troops." Beverly said smiling. His confidence began to soar as the seconds continued to pass. The inner strength he had to step in for Beverly last year had returned, and he was ready. And he knew it!

"Okay!" Bolt said quietly, but it was just the right tone for Beverly to pick up on the thoughts sprinting through his mind. She smiled in response as they embraced in an even tighter hug than before.

"Let's do this!" Bolt said ready for action.

**(30 minutes later: 8:35 am)**

"Okay, so we'll leave the note at the front gate of the house, telling them where the designated drop-off zone is, and explain to them what our end of the deal consists of." Bolt began before looking up at the group to make sure they were following him.

"Where are we leaving the money?" Eli asked

"Regal Park. It's a public ground, which means that they can't try anything funny in front of a bunch of people." Bolt answered

"That's… actually a really good idea." Simone said complimenting Bolt on his idea.

"And Rhino will be inside the bag?" Preston asked

"Yep. When you set me down, please don't drop the bag." Rhino said making sure his voice was heard, to which everyone only chuckled at his order.

"And the kids are gonna do what exactly?" Eli asked once again.

"Rhino will tell them that we've made the first payment, and when we make the second one, they will all be meeting us for an even trade. That's when we strike!" Bolt explained in more detail.

"Strike?" Beverly asked hoping he would clarify some more.

"Yes. We jump them all when the kids are within sight. If we blitz them all at once, we save the kids and everyone goes home alive."

All of the small details seemed to pan out perfectly, and the plan was worth a shot: even if they only had one. Even though they didn't need to listen in, Mittens and Seth felt as though if they paid some attention, it might be beneficial. The van was started and ready to go, and within another 2 hours, so was everyone else. Mittens, Seth, and Kelly were staying back at the house with Kelly watching the cameras from their home station. Mittens and Seth couldn't do much except pray. Beverly, Eli, Rhino and Simone were already in the van, buckled and ready to take off. Preston was waiting for Bolt to say good-bye to Mittens and Seth before he stepped in to have a few words with them himself.

"Is everything okay?" Mittens asked as Preston walked up to the two felines.

"Yeah, I just wanted to know how you two are feeling." Preston began

"Well, I've had to deal with this before, but I'm not sure how HE is feeling." Mittens said motioning her attention over to Seth.

"Well?" Preston asked waiting for a response.

"Are you kidding? I get to watch my dad take out bad guys. Granted, I have to watch from a computer screen, but a TV screen isn't that much different. And this time, it's real." Seth said, somehow managing to keep his cool, even though he knew how epic this moment was. His father was fighting crime… for real.

"He's a good agent." Preston commented

"No… he's my hero." Seth said looking at Bolt. Mittens smiled hearing those words come from her son's mouth.

"Well, wish us luck!" Preston said walking away.

"Good luck!" Mittens and Seth said simultaneously as they waved from a distance. Bolt let out one last wave before the back door to the van shut, and the group was off.

"Whoa, déjà vu!" Mittens said turning around to head back into the house.

"Wait, what?" Seth said catching on to her comment.

"Oh, I'll tell you later." Mittens said shaking her head as the two of the walked back through the pet door at the front of the house, where all they could do now was be patient.

**(The Kids)**

Trigger was jolted from his sleep by horns honking right outside the house. As he tried to catch his breath from the brief scare, Nova began to squirm, still wrapped in Trigger's arms.

"Oh, sorry." Trigger said letting go of her and letting her move freely.

"You're fine. You shouldn't have let go; now I'm cold." Nova said somewhat jokingly, to which Trigger only smiled and pulled her back towards his body. Nova brushed her chin against Trigger's neck, trying to gain the body heat she had recently lost from him loosening his grip.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're extremely warm?" Nova asked, causing Trigger to smile and snicker once more.

"Not until now." Trigger said happily. Nova pulled her head out of the crook in his neck slowly, and gazed at his dark brown eyes, and moved even closer, meeting him muzzle to muzzle before falling into a deep, passionate kiss. The kiss the night before was nothing compared to the fireworks of the lip lock they were sharing at the moment. Another 30 seconds had gone by before the kiss was broken and looks of shock plastered their faces.

"Whoa!" Trigger said breathily, to which Nova nodded her head slowly. It wasn't long before Nova began to shed a few tears.

"Nova, what's wrong?" Trigger asked noticing this.

"Nothing. I've just never been this close to anyone before, and I don't want this feeling to leave. Trigger, you're the only person I've felt safe around lately; even my own father can give it off the same way you can. Don't get me wrong; I love him, but not like this."

"Nova…" Trigger began before being cut off by his inability to speak. It was as if someone had stolen his voice… or his heart.

"Trigger, I love you." Nova said before breaking down in his arms and burying her face in his neck once again, and crying tears of complete joy. Even though their present situation wasn't all that it could have been, still being trapped in a cage in a basement, the couple felt happier and happier just being in each other's company.

"I love you too, Nova." Trigger whispered near her ear. His angelic voice seemed to have returned, much to Nova's pleasure, as more tears continued to pour from her eyes.

"It's okay, Nova. I'm right here." Trigger said quietly.

"I thank God for that." Nova said; her voice thick from crying.

"Awww, this is so cute!" Levi said from the far cage. As Trigger and Nova looked up, they noticed that each of her siblings was looking at them with huge smiles covering their faces. Nova began to blush as she turned her face away and buried back into Trigger's chest as fast as she could. She may have been embarrassed, but her smile was just as wide as those of her brothers and sisters, even if it was hidden.

"Nova, it's okay!" Carmen said from the cage right next to theirs.

"Oh, I know. My head is just spinning a little, that's all!" Nova explained to the rest of the group.

"That's how it's supposed to feel, Nova." Carmen said

"How do you know?" Nova asked

"She never told you about Gabe, did she?" Nichole asked from the cage next to Carmen's.

**CAGE SETTINGS**

Valerie

Levi

Nichole

Jack

Carmen

Trigger and Nova

"Who's Gabe?" Nova asked

"That's what I thought!" Nichole said priding herself in knowing the answer.

"Shut up!" Carmen said in a hushed tone.

"Who is he?" Nova asked devoting all of her attention to what Carmen had to say.

"He's a neighbor dog that lives two houses down from us. Carmen has been hanging all over him the last 2 months like a tick you just can't seem to break free from." Nichole explained in more detail, with Carmen taking the initiative to blush wildly.

"And you love him?" Nova asked

"I… I do. He's such a sweetheart." Carmen said smiling.

"That's awesome!" Nova said complimenting her sister, before looking up at Trigger and smiling as he nuzzled her.

"Well, now you have another reason to bust out of here." Nova said looking back at Carmen.

"Speaking of which, does anyone know what time it is?" Levi asked jumping into the conversation.

"Judging by the sun placement, I'd say it's about 10:30-11:00am." Trigger said looking out the window.

"Great, now we just have to wait until we hear footsteps coming from the 1st floor and heading downstairs." Levi said

"Yep. Don't forget, I'll give you guys the signal when to jump. Use as much power as you can. I wanna make sure we all make it out of here." Trigger said giving the orders.

"Got it!" Levi said nodding his head.

"The nearest window should be right in front of us once we reach the first floor. Right off of that window should be the street. Remember to find the nearest car and follow it until everyone catches up." Trigger said giving once last heads-up to each person.

**(Upstairs)**

"The second shipment just came in yesterday, Pedro." Carson said over his headset. He was on the phone with his manager down in Guatemala.

"**Who would you like me to put you in touch with up north, ****señor****?" **Pedro asked from the other line.

"I've made contact with Mr. Billingham in Fort Collins, Colorado. See if you can find someone in Montana; the crime rate is growing rapidly in that state, which could mean big business for us." Carson ordered

"**Si, señor!" **Pedro said once more before hanging up the phone. Carson walked towards the largest monitor set up in the living room and watched the possible growth rate of his arms company, smiling as he did so.

"Do you want me to feed them now?" one of his men asked as he walked up behind him.

"Yeah, go ahead. Watch that 'Trigger' character. I don't trust him." Carson said bitterly.

"Yes, sir!" The man said before heading for the kitchen to grab the food and bowls.

"Hey, take Allen with you too. More people means less of a chance he'll try something funny." Carson ordered.

"You really hate him that much?" The man asked

"He's an idiot. For having genetic enhancement, he sure doesn't use it like a pro."

"Maybe he isn't." the man said before calling out to 'Allen' to carry the rest of the bowls down to the basement while he carried the food bag.

**(Basement)**

"I hear footsteps." Levi said jumping to his feet.

"I do too. Is everyone ready?" Trigger asked

"Ready!" the group said in sync.

"Are you ready, baby?" Trigger asked Nova.

"Yeah. By the way, I could get used to you calling me that." Nova said as she gave Trigger a light push in his side. The black lab looked over at his love and smiled, happy that she was now an even bigger part of his life than before.

"I think they're in the hallway." Jack said openly, causing Trigger to snap out of his daydream and get into position.

"Okay guys, here we go… 1,2,3! Now!" Trigger shouted. All at once, the group of 7 dogs jumped as hard and high as they could, breaking through the ceiling and on to the 1st floor. Jack accidently jumped so hard that he busted through the rooftop as well, landing on the street they were heading for.

"What the hell?" Carson asked himself silently as he saw each of the dogs standing before him about to make a break for it. Carmen, Nichole and Nova broke through the window and met up with Jack who was following a while minivan down the street. Trigger, Levi and Valerie each gave one of the guards a hard head-butt, knocking each of them to the ground in agony.

"Allen, Randall! Get them!" Carson shouted as they both ran up the stairs covered in sheetrock dust from falling debris from the basement.

"Think fast!" Trigger said before letting out a signature 'super bark', blowing both of them back down the stairs.

"You little bastard!" Carson shouted as he pounced on Trigger, and knocking him against the wall of computers.

"Valerie, go find the others!" Levi ordered

"I'm not leaving without you."

"Val, don't argue with me, okay. Just go!" Levi said, knowing her heart was beginning to break. After a few more seconds of reluctant waiting, Valerie turned around to find the rest of the group. With Valerie to safety, Levi pounced into the squabble and took one swift paw to Carson's side. Trigger finally broke free and locked his jaws onto Carson's left hind leg. Carson let out one wild howl in pain before two guards snared Levi from behind, causing Trigger to let go to help the young husky.

"Gotcha!" Allen said throwing a lasso around Trigger's neck with the knot tightening after each tug and pull.

"You guys have some guts! Too bad it won't save you! Throw them in sub-basement 2. AND MAKE SURE THEY STAY THERE!" Carson ordered forcefully, almost snarling as the words exited his mouth.

"Yes, sir!" Allen and Randall said simultaneously as they drug Trigger and Levi down one level further underground.

"The rest of you: Clean up this mess, and get the operating systems back up and running. If we miss even one call from a possible buyer, we could lose a sale." Carson ordered the rest of his guards that had regained their breath after being hit in the stomach. While the men got to work, Carson readjusted his headset in preparation to make a call.

"OPEN PHONE REGISTRY!" Carson ordered the phone.

"**COMMAND CONFIRMED! INSERT CONTACT!" **said the computer waiting for Carson to give a number to call.

"ELI MONTOYA!"

**End of Chapter**

Uh oh! 5 to safety, but 7 was the number they needed. Hopefully, Trigger and Levi will be okay. However, one question I'm sure has popped into your minds: Why is Carson calling Eli? What purpose does this serve? What will happen to Jack, Nichole, Carmen, Valerie, and Nova? All of these questions will hopefully be answered in the next update. I figured you guys would enjoy some action, so there you go! See ya next time!

Adios!


	15. Mega Mistake

Well guys, writing has become more and more of a challenge because of an off-the-wall schedule at Subway. However, I have somehow managed to find time to write. When we last saw the cast, the kids were making their escape, and falling short with the capture of Levi and Trigger. Also, Bolt, Beverly, Rhino, Simone and Preston were heading back to Bakersfield to make the first drop-off. Let's see what happens when…

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Mega Mistake**

"Bolt, your vest is over by the gun rack. Let me help you put it on." Preston said walking to the vest. Bolt followed the husky step for step, and sat down in front of him as the vest was placed around his forearms.

"Sorry about the inconvenience. The machine that put it on you 8 months ago had thumbs." Preston said apologetically.

"You're fine, man."

"Preston, do you need help?" Beverly asked trying to hold back a chuckle, seeing him** try **to put Bolt's vest on.

"I got it!" Preston said insisting that he knew what he was doing. Beverly turned her head away and laughed.

"Men!" Beverly mumbled under her breath.

"I heard that." Eli said right next to her.

"Oh, you know I love you." Beverly said getting up and meeting Eli with a kiss. About 3 seconds after the kiss ended, the radar phone started to ring as a call came in. Eli looked at the computer and glanced at the caller ID, only to find that the number had been blocked.

"Who is it?" Rhino asked from the desk chair.

"I don't know. Go ahead and patch me through, Simone." Eli ordered, to which she nodded and pressed 'TALK', letting Eli speak freely.

"Hello." Eli began

"**Your kids are either very smart or very stupid." **the voice said from the other line.

"Um, who is this?" Eli asked confused.

"**It's Carson." **Carson said identifying himself. Everyone's eyes in the van went wide, and soon after, anger could be felt by everyone as a sense of rage filled the claustrophobic van.

"You bastard." Eli said silently.

"**This isn't the best time to insult me right now. I still have Levi within reach, and could rip him to shreds if I really wanted to." **Carson said aggravated.

"Okay, well you'd better explain to me what the hell you're talking about." Eli said waving his paw at Simone, trying to get her attention. Simone looked at him confused for about 5 seconds before Beverly walked up to the tech-board and pressed a button. Eli mouthed the words 'thank you' to his mate before getting back on the phone. Beverly walked back over to Bolt and Preston and sat back down beside both of them.

"What did you just do?" Bolt whispered to Beverly.

"I put a trace on the call." Beverly answered.

"You what?" Bolt asked still puzzled.

"That button I just pushed is designed to trace the location of the caller. All they have to do is stay on the line long enough for the trace to go through." Beverly said clarifying.

"How long does it take?" Bolt asked

"60 seconds."

"Carson, that isn't my fault. We'll pay you the $100,000 as planned as long as you don't hurt them. No strings attached." Eli said still on the phone.

"**Things have changed. The payment is now $250,000 and not a penny less. And the next time your kids try something funny, I WILL KILL THEM right where they stand. You have 24 hours!" **Carson said getting angrier.

"Are you out of your mind? There's no way we can get that kind of money." Eli said starting to panic.

"**And THAT… Isn't MY fault. I'm done playing games, Eli. You WILL drop off the money behind the propane tanks at the old abandoned mill by the interstate at 3pm tomorrow, or Levi and Trigger WILL die!" **Carson said still enraged. Preston's ears perked as he heard Trigger's name being mentioned over the phone. Trigger was a young trainee and had little experience, and Preston wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he had died.

"Where are the rest of the kids?" Eli asked

"**I don't know. But you better find them before I do." **Carson said before hanging up the phone. Eli looked at the screen and then at Simone, hoping it was long enough to lock onto a trace.

"Well." Eli said

"We needed another 20 seconds. The trace never locked on." Simone said shaking her head in disappointment. Eli shoved his shoulder into the desk in anger, wishing he had a punching bag instead.

"Damnit!" Eli screamed in frustration, and leaned up against the side of the van; his heart racing and breaking at the same time. Beverly walked up to her mate and held him as best she could.

"It's okay. We already know where they are, and we can get the rest of the money easily. That's what Kurt is for." Beverly said looking into Eli's eyes. She could see the pain in them, having felt like he just let his kids and HER down. It also meant that they had to change their plans.

"We can't wait until 3 pm tomorrow to get them back. We have to do it now!" Bolt said stepping into the conversation. Preston looked at Bolt, and wondered if he was already concocting a new plan.

"What are you thinking?" Preston asked

"How soon can we get the rest of the money?" Bolt asked openly, not really caring who gave him an answer as long as he got one.

"We can have it here in an hour?" Beverly answered

"Well, in that case… I have an idea."

**(Nova, Jack, Nichole, Carmen, and Valerie)**

The five kids trailed behind the white minivan for a good six blocks before turning down a back alley way and ducking into a nearby tuff shed. They stayed hidden for a good 20 minutes, not hearing anything except for a few passing cars, obviously not looking for them. The entire time, Valerie and Nova were trying their best to hold back crying from being separated from Trigger and Levi. Jack slowly crept out onto the street, looking both ways constantly to make sure they weren't being watched. His supersonic hearing was dialed into numerous sounds, including a woman in a nearby house talking on the phone with her daughter, a lawnmower starting from one street over, and two crows on a power pole about ½ mile down the alleyway squawking back and forth at each other.

"God, shut up, you stupid rats with wings!" Jack said silently. Of all the sounds that he heard, none of them seemed to be talking about them.

"Okay guys! I think we're good." Jack said to his sisters, and one by one, they made their way out on to the gravel side street to meet up with him.

"So now what do we do?" Carmen asked

"We have to go back and save them." Valerie said

"Valerie, we can't just barge in there like an assault unit." Jack said trying to convince her that too much action might set off an even bigger catastrophe.

"Well, I'm not just gonna sit here while Levi and Trigger are probably being tortured right now, wondering where we ran off to." Valerie shouted, starting to hyperventilate. Nova walked up to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Val, Jack is right. If we just go running in like that, we ALL might get captured again. We'll get them out of there, okay?" Nova asked with assurance, hoping that her sister was listening. Valerie pulled her head up slowly and let out a deep breath, trying her best to remain calm.

"Okay." Valerie said still heartbroken.

"So do you have a plan?" Carmen asked Nova.

"Kinda. And it involves going back to the house, but we're just going to listen in. Jack, I'm gonna need your supersonic hearing." Nova said addressing her brother.

"You got it!" Jack answered with a smile on his face. The group of siblings walked back to the house slowly, constantly checking over their shoulder to make sure they had no one behind them. Their eyes were also fixated in every possible place that someone could be hiding waiting for them to walk by. As an extra precaution, they did their best to take the alleyways; it meant less traffic, and less people. For each of them, every inch they walked seemed like a mile as time drug on. After what felt like hours, the huskies made it to the street where the house was set on.

"So how do we do this?" Carmen asked

"Jack and I will go up to the house next door and listen in from there. You three need to stay here and give us a signal in case they see us. This'll mean a quicker getaway if we have a heads-up." Nova instructed. Jack looked at Nova, noticing how well the plan was put together.

"You're really good at planning these. Kurt would love you." Jack said before the two of them slowly set off for the neighboring house, careful to avoid detection. From the side of the garage, Jack opened his ears a little more, trying harder to pick up any sounds.

"Anything?" Nova asked

"Not… yet." Jack answered in a hushed tone.

"Maybe we should try somewhere…" Nova said before being interrupted by Jack.

"Wait! I… I can hear talking." Jack said closing his eyes.

"**What did he say?"**

"**It doesn't matter what THEY said; it's what WE told them." **

"**They won't get the money by then. You're not giving them enough time to…"**

"**Our objective is to eliminate them, not get rich off of them. That's what meeting at the Oildale Mill is for. We meet them there, kill them all, take the money, our business up north begins to thrive, and the next thing you know; we're living it up on the beaches of Baja Mexico with more money than we know what to do with."**

"**Ugh… I hope you know what you're doing."**

"**Please! I was able to set this arms business up in 4 years, while still working with 'The Phantom Five'. I DO know what I'm doing."**

"What do you hear?" Nova asked pulling Jack back behind the garage.

"I think Carson is talking to one of his guys. They're gonna meet at the Oildale Mill."

"When?"

"I don't know. You pulled me away before I could get a date and time." Jack said annoyed that she pulled his head away at the worst time. Even amidst the poor judgment, the siblings couldn't help but laugh at each other's time bonding.

"You may not think before you act, but that just makes it more believable that you belong to this family." Jack said laughing; only causing Nova to laugh alongside him. The young husky then remembered Bolt and Mittens back at the house, now already missing them; something that Jack was quick to notice.

"Hey guys!" Carmen called silently from the end of the street, instantly grabbing Jack and Nova's attention.

"What did you find?" Nichole asked

"They're gonna meet someone at the Oildale Mill. I think they're talking about our parents." Jack answered

"When are they meeting at the mill?" Nichole asked again.

"We don't know, but it has to be soon. But there's a problem." Nova said jumping in.

"What?" Carmen asked

"They're not after the money. They just wanna kill our parents. If they do, Carson's arms business won't have any more speed bumps to drive over. His company will thrive with less chance of getting caught by the police." Nova explained, only deepening their predicament.

"So what do we do now?" Nichole asked.

"We have to tell our parents." Nova answered

"Wait! What about Levi and Trigger?" Valerie asked starting to panic once again.

"Valerie, listen to me. WE WILL SAVE THEM! But right now, we just have to be patient and wait until we have a better plan. I don't want to run inside that house unprepared. The four of us were lucky to escape the first time; we might not be so lucky if we try again right now." Nova said putting a paw on her sister's shoulder. Valerie did her best to fight back the tears, but eventually, she had to let it out. And silently, that's just what she did.

"C'mon. Let's head back to the house. We can tell everyone what we know when we get there." Nichole said leading everyone back to the road that lead to their house. Along the way, Jack decided to strike up a little small talk.

"So, Nova; I've been wanting to ask you this since we met. What was it like being raised by 'Bolt' himself?"

"Oh God, Jack. Not this again." Nichole said begging him to keep his mouth shut.

"What? I'm dying to know. Is that such a crime?" Jack asked openly. Nova looked at all of them, wondering if she missed something.

"What's the big deal?" Nova asked

"Jack is a die-hard fan of Bolt. He has every season on DVD, along with God knows how many pictures pinned up on his side of the room." Nichole explained in more detail. Nova looked at Jack, dumbfounded.

"Really?" Nova asked

"Well… yeah. The dog is amazing. If only he could sign my stuff." Jack said spreading his paws in and out, wishing he had fingers. Nova just laughed at the statement as they continued to walk. All of a sudden, a large van stopped dead in its tracks right in front of the dogs, causing all of them to freeze.

"Oh, crap!" Jack said as they continued to stare at the vehicle. Silence filled the open air around them for another 10 seconds before Nichole spoke up.

"Should we run?"

Ummm… I don't know." Valerie answered. As she finished speaking, the side door flew open, and out popped some very familiar faces.

"Nova!" Bolt shouted as his feet hit the dirt road below. Nova gasped as she saw her father running towards her at lightning speed.

"Dad!" Nova said as Bolt plowed into her, knocking her on her back. As the two huskies hit the ground, Eli and Beverly piled out of the van as well to greet their recently missing children.

"Mom, Dad!" Nichole and Carmen shouted simultaneously as they were greeted with their own set of hugs from their parents, along with Jack and Valerie. Preston and Simone were the last ones out of the van, while Rhino watched the spectacle from the windshield.

"Are you guys okay?" Eli asked, to which all of them nodded except for Valerie.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Beverly asked her daughter.

"Levi's still back at the house." Valerie said as the tears began to fall. Beverly took her daughter in her arms as best she could, as quick as she could. As soon as her face connected with her mother's chest, Valerie finally broke down. As much as she loved the comfort of being safe with her parents again, her mind was still back at the house, where she wished she had stayed to help fight off Carson and his guards.

"It's alright, baby. We'll save him!" Beverly said

"That's right. We're gonna get both of them out of there." Eli said walking up to Valerie, and joining in on the hug. On the other side of the street, Nova was in just as much of a breakdown as Valerie was, with Trigger still in turmoil as well.

"We have to save him, Dad." Nova said beneath Bolt's chest fur.

"We will, honey. We will!" Bolt said comforting his daughter.

"C'mon you guys. Let's get you back to the house." Beverly said leading everyone to the van… or at least trying to.

"No way! They're gonna meet some people at the Oildale Mill. Were they talking about you guys?" Jack asked

"Uh, yeah! How did you…" Eli answered his son he cut him off again.

"We were listening in on their conversation after we made a break for it. They're gonna kill you guys if you go." Jack said

"Is that what they said they were gonna do?" Beverly asked

"Yes. Then they were gonna take the money and run." Nova said jumping in. Bolt looked at her, hoping she could hold it together while she explained. Eli and Beverly sat back on their haunches, going deep into thought.

"Okay, change of plans." Eli said feeling frustrated.

"Maybe not." Bolt said out of the blue. Eli, Beverly, Preston, and Simone looked at Bolt, wondering what was on his mind. Preston slowly formed a smile on his face, knowing that it meant he had an idea.

"What are you thinking?" Preston asked coyly.

"Well, we can still carry out the same plan of meeting them at the mill, but we need to make _one _little change." Bolt said looking at each member of the group and smiling.

"Care to share?" Beverly asked, begging him to start talking.

**(Levi and Trigger)**

The lab and husky were tied up in the 2nd basement, wrapped in rope and chain. They had been tied up for more than 2 hours after each being knocked out from a blow to the head. Finally, Trigger started to come to.

"Ugh… what the… ouch!" Trigger said trying to reach behind his head, only to find each of his paws tied to a separate post set in the cement floor. Every light in the room was off, and the only source seemed to come from underneath the nearest door. As Trigger looked around, he tried to find Levi with what little light he had.

"Levi, are you in here?" Trigger called out.

"Ugh…" said a voice to his left.

"Levi, is that you?" Trigger asked

"Yeah… it's me." Levi said with a gravelly voice, obviously just as sore as his black lab counterpart.

"You okay?" Trigger asked again.

"Do I sound okay?" Levi asked still in pain.

"You sound better than me." Trigger informed

"We gotta get outta here." Levi said trying to stand.

"Levi, stop. Someone has to come for us… they have to."

**End of Chapter**

The next chapter has been summoned. It's…it's…it's ALIVE! Well, you guys will have to wait a little while for Chapter 16. I'm in the process of finding a new job, because I'm currently getting sick of the one have. It could be a while before you hear from me again. Sorry! Thanks for your patience, y'all! See ya soon!

Adios!


	16. The Shot Heard 'Round the Mill

Welcome back, everyone! All of my readers and reviewers; Come on Down! You're all the next contestants on 'The Author Is Right!' Your game is called 'R&R'. And no; it doesn't stand for 'Rest and Relaxation'. In fact, just the opposite. All you have to do is write a review of Chapter 16, and if I receive 6 or more reviews, I will reward you guys with a special prize. What is the prize, you ask? If I get those reviews, you'll know soon enough.

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**The Shot Heard 'Round the Mill**

It had been 6 hours since 5 of the kids made their successful escape, only leaving Levi and Trigger still being held back at the house. The two of them had no contact with anyone from the ground floor, and their stomachs were beginning to growl. It was so loud at one point; Trigger could hear it echo off of the concrete wall, only causing Levi to laugh.

"Wow!" Levi said smiling.

"What?" Trigger asked

"I've never heard someone's stomach growl echo from wall to wall."

"I could fix the hunger pains if you're willing to donate a hind leg." Trigger said sarcastically.

"Great! Then I get your ears." Levi said coming back at him with a smart remark of his own.

"Deal!" Trigger said, causing Levi and himself to burst out in laughter. It lasted about 30 seconds before the door started to open, and both of them lifted their heads to see who met their eyes.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauties!" Allen said stepping in to the darkened room. With what strength they still had, Levi and Trigger managed to focus all of their attention on Allen as he untied the rope and unlocked the chains.

"What are you gonna do with us?" Levi asked as the last of the chains came loose. Allen turned around to meet Levi's gaze before speaking.

"I'm getting you guys outta here!" Allen said. Both Levi and Trigger's ears perked at the sound of the words coming from his mouth. The two dogs then looked at each other for a brief moment before looking back at him.

"Is this a joke?" Trigger asked dumbfounded.

"No. I'm done with Carson's bull shit. All he's talking about is himself and the money. And if he succeeds in killing you and your parents at the mill, then he'll be off as fast as he can to the Mexican border. And leaving everyone else here in the dust means that I'm out of a job, and looking at 35 to life." Allen explained as he finished untying the last of Trigger's leg rope.

"You're gonna let us go?" Trigger asked

"Not exactly. I have to untie you two and bring you upstairs, because your parents just called us saying that we're meeting at the mill right now. They have the money ready. I just need you guys to keep your mouths shut."

"Wait! What about you? If Carson finds out you went behind his back, he'll kill you." Levi said worried. Allen sighed as he attached the leashes around Levi and Trigger's necks.

"I know. But at least I'll die with a clean conscience… Now, come on. He's waiting for us." Allen said leading them down the dark and damp hallway to the 3 flights of stairs that they had to ascend. After reaching the top step, the door opened, and daylight seemed to blind the two canines, having been cooped up in a basement holding cell. As they walked through the living room, they noticed Carson walking towards them with a grim smile on his face.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Did you enjoy your nap?" Carson asked mockingly. Neither Levi nor Trigger had any words for the rogue shepherd, save for two evil eyes.

"What? Nothing to say?" Carson asked again

"Trust me. I have plenty to say." Trigger said still staring at him.

"You know, you're really starting to become a pain, Trigger."

"Sorry to disappoint you." Trigger said bitterly.

"And what about you, Levi? Do YOU have anything to say?" Carson asked walking over to the young husky. Levi lowered his head and looked at the floor, not wanting to look Carson in the eye.

"No."

"Oh, well. It will probably be the last thing you guys say." Carson said walking away.

"Grab the gear. We're gonna go meet some old friends." Carson ordered his men. Each one of them, save for Allen, responded with either a 'Yes, sir!' or a nod to let him know they were listening. Levi and Trigger both looked up at Allen, who motioned his head to follow them as they walked out the front door and towards one of the white Suburban's. Allen opened the door, and waved the both of them into the back seat.

"What do we need to do?" Levi asked Allen from the seat.

"Be patient." Allen said before shutting the door to the SUV, and walking to the front passenger door, jumping into the seat. Levi and Trigger continued to sit in the back seat, not saying anything to each other or Allen. One more guard and the driver jumped inside the car, and started it. From there, it was just a 30-minute drive to the mill, and plenty of times for the two dogs to pray that Allen knew what he was doing.

**(Bolt and the Gang)**

The group was able to notify Mittens, Seth and Kelly that Nova and the rest of the kids were okay. They decided not to tell them about their plan, thinking about the possibility of the phone lines being tapped. If they could block the caller ID on the incoming screen, the chance of them bugging the phone lines was just as easy. Kurt was immediately notified of the situation via a live meeting feed; one that couldn't be tampered with from another computer source. The money was driven to their location, along with Bolt's one unknown request. It was now 7:30 at night, and the sun was beginning to set behind the hills, only leaving some leftover sunset color. Entering the mill required little work, having been abandoned for nearly 20 years, and setting up for the meeting was even easier. It was as if all spots in the mill yard had been placed there just for their plan's execution.

"Okay, Bolt. Are you sure this is gonna work?" Beverly asked Bolt as they waited for Carson to arrive.

"If I tell you the truth, are you gonna hit me?" Bolt asked looking at her.

"Well… yeah." Beverly said truthfully. Bolt swallowed his fear and let out a deep breath.

"Yeah… I actually think this is gonna work. It has to." Bolt answered. Beverly looked at Bolt once more before nodding and walking away.

"Thanks." Bolt called out, causing her to turn around.

"For what?" Beverly asked

"For not hitting me." Bolt answered smiling. Beverly chuckled a little before looking at Bolt with a grateful look on her face.

"You did a great job raising her." Beverly said looking up at the top of the water tower, where Nova was positioned, along with Preston.

"Thanks." Bolt said thankful for the kind gesture, as he walked away to do HIS job.

**(Preston and Nova)**

"So, what exactly are we doing?" Nova asked Preston, who was lying right beside her.

"Well, the cars will come in from that gate over there, and Bolt and your parents will meet them in the middle of the grounds to exchange your brother and Trigger for the money. Once the money is in our grasp, this machine will take out both SUV's and Carson. It's as simple as that." Preston explained as he showed her the device placed right next to them.

"Awesome. So how is Simone doing?" Nova asked

"She's doing okay. Her stomach is still giving her some grief, but it's not life-threatening."

"Good."

"Yeah. What about you and Trigger?"

"Uh… what about us?"

"Come on, girl. I saw the way he looked at you back at Kelly's house. I know there's something going on." Preston said smiling. Nova sighed in defeat, knowing that she couldn't hide it.

"I really need to work on my poker face." Nova said snickering a bit.

"Eh! That takes time."

"Well, to answer your question… You're right; there IS something between us. I've never felt so safe around someone before. In any situation we've been in, he's always put my family and I first. He cares, and… and I love him." Nova said thinking about Trigger. Preston smiled as he watched her think.

"But… he's training to be an agent. I don't know how you and Simone have been able to work it out, but I don't think the same results will come of Trigger and I."

"How do you know?"

"Well, I don't want to be a part of this company. No offense to you."

"No, no, no. None taken!"

"But, I don't want to constantly worry about him dying on the job. This agency of yours would be lucky to have him, and I don't want to get in the way."

"Nova, he WILL be a great agent, and he WILL do great things with the agency; however, he needs someone who will stand by his side, no matter what the odds are of him getting hurt. He's gonna need support if he has to deal with his commanding officer."

"Who's his commanding officer?" Nova asked

"Me." Preston answered simply. Nova looked at him, shocked.

"YOU are his C.O.?" Nova asked once more.

"Yep! He was my 1st applicant. He grew up on a farm, just like you. But he wanted something more; and that's where this agency came in. His owners gave us the rights, and he was given all of these amazing abilities. But he needs someone to learn with him. Nova, you already have these powers, and know how to use them just as well as he does… He needs you; and you need him." Preston said looking at the snow white husky. Nova went deep into thought for about a minute before Preston nudged her side, telling her to look at the gate. Both SUV's were pulling into the mill yard, and parked next to the propane tanks. The first to jump out was Carson, along with Allen, only leaving one guard, Levi and Trigger left in the front SUV. In the back one, three men came out with guns drawn, just in case they tried something funny.

"Bolt; come out and play!" Carson called out teasingly, with Bolt hiding behind one of the nearby staircases, dressed to kill in his vest. Within 10 seconds, Bolt emerged from his hiding spot, with Eli and Beverly following close behind. As soon as Carson laid eyes on his 'targets', he let out a silent laugh and brought a sinister smile to his face.

"Wow, Bolt! It's been a long time!" Carson said

"Uh-huh!" Bolt said back, showing absolutely no emotion. Even his eyes showed lack of attention towards what Carson was saying; just because THAT wasn't what was on his mind.

"What? You can't do better than that?" Carson asked with the same teasing attitude.

"Give us the kids back, and we'll talk." Bolt said with his stone façade still intact. Eli stood behind the shepherd, beginning to breathe heavily. Beverly stood right next to him, and gave him a small and unnoticeable nudge to try and break his nervous state.

"You got the money?" Carson asked.

"You got the kids?" Bolt asked right back. Carson lifted his head slowly, and let out a sigh before turning around and looking at his men, giving them nods. As two of the armored guards stepped back and opened the truck, Allen escorted both Levi and Trigger out into the sunset-lit yard. Both of their coats were nearly completely covered in grease, and if it weren't for their collars, you might not be able to which one is which. From the water tower, Nova's heat began to race, as she saw her love exit the cab of the SUV.

"We got this, Nova." Preston said from her right side.

**(Back at the yard)**

"See? What did I tell you? They're alive and unharmed. Their little escape attempt was pretty clever, but you can't win 'em all." Carson said

"Yeah. You're the poster-dog for that phrase." Beverly said openly.

"Hey, you watch who you're talking to. I still have a hold of them." Carson said losing his smile.

"Okay, fine. Then let's clear the air. Why did you go rogue?" Eli asked

"I was never on the right side to begin with. Kurt never liked me; he brought me to the team because I had 'experience'. Or at least that's what he was told. My background was replaced by a former canine; same breed, same age, same facial features… it was just my luck."

"So now you can add identity theft to your list of charges." Beverly said

"You had a good thing going for you." Eli continued

"You're right, but it wasn't with them team. My arms business had taken off more than a year before I joined GGE. I just needed a little side-job to make myself seem less suspicious. Over the next 4 years with you four, I let more than 15 hardened criminals go free… All they had to do was buy from my supply."

"You can add 'obstructing justice' and 'blackmail' too." Beverly said again, only aggravating Carson.

"Hey, don't be such a smartass! That's the exact attitude that's gonna kill these two if you're not careful." Carson said. Beverly looked at Levi, who only responded with a simple nod. Not knowing what he meant, she looked back at Carson to continue their chat.

"I don't need to remind you of the list of charges. Or the people you've let down. But I **do** need to remind you of the one person who always believed in you… Seth." Beverly said with a straight face. Carson sat back ready to stop her, but had no words to come back with as he let her continue.

"You two were inseparable. The day you came back from Thailand, and told me about what happened to him, I was devastated. He was a good mate to me, and an even better friend to you."

"The day I came back from Thailand was the feeling of a job well done. Do you know why?" Carson asked. Beverly looked at the shepherd with confused eyes before cocking her head to the side.

"Why?" Beverly asked slowly.

"Because I did what I had to do… Think about it; drug cartels don't have platoons. There WAS no 2nd platoon, there was only me." Carson said

"Wha…"

"Wait… you mean?" Bolt asked taking over with his eyes growing wider and wider.

"I killed Seth." Carson said blankly.

The rage that built up in all three canines was more than they could possibly contain. Bolt dug his claws into the gravel underneath him, while Beverly and Eli prepared to lunge at Carson with every bit of strength they had. However, it was Bolt who made the 1st move, as he let out a low growl followed by… a superbark. As dust began to fill the air, and Carson flew over the SUV, Eli and Beverly charged at the armored guards, each taking out one of them. Levi and Trigger both ran for the bottom of the van to shield themselves from the settling debris.

"We need to help them!" Levi shouted

"I'll take care of it. I saw Nova on the top of the water tower. As soon as you can see, make a break for it. I've got some unfinished business to attend to." Trigger instructed as he quickly crawled out from underneath the van and started running.

"Trigger!" Levi shouted to the black lab, but found no response. With no other order to follow, Levi did what he was told and ran for the water tower.

**(Preston and Nova)**

"What's going on down there?" Nova asked starting to panic.

"I don't know, but I see your brother running towards us." Preston said as he looked down to watch Levi sprint towards the staircase that led to their position. Nova ran for the same staircase, and met her brother half-way with a huge hug.

"Oh My God! Are you okay?" Nova asked

"I'm fine."

"Where's Trigger?"

"He's still down there."

"Okay. Preston is on the top of the tower. He'll tell you what's going on."

"Why can't you?"

"Because I need to save him." Nova said running past her brother, down to the pavement.

"Nova!" Levi shouted once again, only to find that she couldn't hear him over the blazing gunfire. The husky watched as his sister traversed in and around the shower of bullets, and disappeared into the cloud of dust. Her fear was gone. She was on a mission, and no one would stop her from saving Trigger and her family.

**End of Chapter**

Wow! It looks like Nova has taken the torch of bravery and lit the playing field with it. This is gonna be very interesting, and hopefully everyone survives. I will be leaving on a mission trip this weekend for Williston, North Dakota; moreover, writing won't be happening. We'll see what happens when I return. Keep those reviews coming, guys! Your words matter to me.

Adios!


	17. AUTHOR'S NOTE!

**Author's Note**

**Attention all of my readers! I know you've been waiting for some time for Chapter 17, and all 6 reviews that I requested have been received, thanks to TwainApprentice being the last. And you WILL receive your surprise with the final chapter, along with a few more little surprises here and there. However, it might have to wait a little longer than I originally planned, because of one small problem… As it says on my FanFiction profile, I will be auditioning for American Idol this summer, and the time has finally come. I will be flying to Oklahoma City from my hometown of Bozeman, Montana in less than two weeks, which means that writing the story will be even harder to find time to write than before. So, as sort of a "peace offering", I've decided to combine the last two chapters I was going to write for the ending into one chapter, approximate twice the size of a normal chapter in one of my stories. This will mean a longer wait, but trust me when I tell you: The wait is well worth it! **

**Wish me luck with my audition! If you don't hear from me in about a month, then that probably means that I've advanced in the competition. For those that are fans of American Idol, be watching in January for the season premiere, and the Oklahoma City auditions. The name I will be auditioning with will be '****Kyle Bridger'****. If you hear from me at a sooner rate, it means that American Idol didn't work out, and I'm back in Montana, and it will most likely be with the final extra-long chapter. Thank you to all of my fans and readers, and a special thanks goes out to my FanFic little brother: Mike101. Dude, you have helped me so much as a writer. Because of you, I'm learning that the only limits set for writing are the ones we create for ourselves, and that's why I no longer have ****1derwolf**** as a back-up profile. It's been nice having made a good friend and a new sibling because of something as simple as 'Unleashing Your Imagination'. And that's exactly what FanFiction is all about! Best of luck to you in the many stories you write, along with all of the other readers of the 'Bolt' page. **

**Thank you for your patience! I hope to be writing once again soon! **

**-krp101**


	18. Armageddon

Hey Hey Hey! Guess who's back in town? That would be me! If you're wondering how American Idol went, it wasn't exactly how I'd planned. Their system of auditioning people was the most efficient for a group as big as us, but they could have given a little more individual attention to the contestants. I would take a guess in saying that about 4,000-5,000 people auditioned for this season in Oklahoma City, which meant stiff competition to begin with. And even though I didn't make it through, I DID find a positive side to the situation: The night before I auditioned, I was grabbing dinner at Sonic, and ran into a team of roller derby girls. They saw the Idol wristband I was wearing, and asked if I would sing for them… and I did. Afterwards, they said that they needed someone to perform the national anthem at their exhibition game that weekend, and said that I was more than welcome to perform if American Idol didn't work out. So, I called after the audition, and sang in front of more than 1,500 people. It was easily the biggest crowd I've performed in front of to date, and was the hit of the show. Thanks to everyone who gave supportive reviews, and is still following this story. I appreciate your patience during my absence, and hope that you'll come back and see this. But what exactly IS this, you ask? It's the finale! The end of 'Decoded'. I hope you guys enjoy!

A/N: I do not own Bolt or any of its subsidiaries. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

**Armageddon**

Nova dashed her way through the falling debris, while dodging every bullet in range, and made her way to the van that both Levi and Trigger had just abandoned. As she waited for the dust to settle, she tried to make out as many noticeable figures as she could, and set her sights on Trigger. The black lab was dragging one of the men away from the hail of fighting and gunfire, and Nova sprinted towards her love at lightning speed, wondering what he was doing. As Nova reached the two, she grabbed a hold of the man's sleeve and pulled alongside Trigger until they took cover underneath an office trailer.

"Nova, what are you doing?" Trigger asked

"Helping! Who is this guy?" Nova asked delivering a question of her own.

"His name is Allen. He's turning against Carson and his unit, and trying to help us."

"Why?"

"I don't have time to explain. I need to help Bolt." Trigger said before beginning his walk back out to the 'battlefield', but was quickly stopped by Nova.

"No, I'll go. He's MY father. This guy needs help and quick. Preston is on top of the water tower, and he can help."

"I know. I saw him."

"Can you carry Allen to the water tower?" Nova asked

"There's no way. I don't know if he has a broken back or not, and I don't want to risk hurting him even more if he doesn't." Trigger explained

"_That's why we're here!" _said a voice from out of the blue. When Nova looked behind her, she spotted Carmen, Nichole, Jack, and Valerie crouching down underneath the trailer.

"What are you guys doing?" Nova asked in a panic.

"We may have something that can get him to Preston." Valerie said pulling a small floor-level table with wheels towards the group of canines. Nova smiled seeing the sudden change of luck that happened to be in their favor.

"Is that a creeper?" Trigger asked

"Yeah. The four of us can wheel him to the water tower. You guys just do what you need to do." Jack said practically ordering them as he and his sisters began tugging on Allen's clothing and pulled his currently lifeless body onto the creeper, and began wheeling him away. Nova looked back at Trigger, who gave a slight nod.

"What?" Nova asked, confused by the gesture.

"Okay! Let's go save your parents. All of them!" Trigger said with a smile slowly growing on his face. Nova began to mirror his face as the two young dogs took off towards Bolt, and the mass fighting that was happening around him.

**(Eli and Beverly)**

Beverly clenched her teeth shut on one of the guard's legs as he let out a shrill scream of pain. Soon after, the husky pulled his leg out from underneath, and leapt onto his stomach with her growl being used primarily to scare the armed man. Her scare tactic was cut short by a punch to her side by the guard she had just toppled. As she fell to her side, coughing from having the wind knocked out of her, the assailant regained his footing and charged at Beverly with his pistol ready to fire. However, from behind, his back had been completely jolted forward, and he was immediately brought to his knees. Suddenly, he was hit once again in the exact same spot from behind, with a blow that had successfully broken his back. As his lifeless torso fell to the concrete slab, Eli stepped out from behind the man, and rushed to his mate's aid.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Eli asked in fear.

"I'm fine, honey!" Beverly answered as she got back on her feet. When the couple looked up, they were both staring down the barrels of the guns of the last two remaining guards.

"I guess the dogs forgot who's gonna win this fight." One guard said mockingly, and finding the other laughing right next to him.

"You should have spent less time gloating." Eli said letting out a small superbark; just strong enough to blow the firearms out of their hands. As soon as he saw the opportunity, Eli lunged for one of the guards' throats and locked on tight, leaving Beverly with the last guard, and a swift head-butt to the one place you should always wear a cup at… the groin. The man dropped to the ground faster than the gun after it had flown out of his grasp, leaving Beverly with a small window of time to take him out. She set her sights on the man's neck, (and when I say 'sights', I mean laser-vision!) Her eyes shot two small red flaming lasers through the man's neck, instantly cutting off his breathing. From there, it was just a wager as to how long he had before he would completely run out of air. She then glanced over at Eli, who had shown some of his own success with blood covering some of his lips from the kill grab to the jugular.

"Nice work, baby!" Beverly said complimenting her mate, while still catching her breath.

"Thanks, you too!" Eli said, just as tired. From the other side of the yard, the pair could hear Bolt and Carson going at it with everything they had.

**(Bolt and Carson)**

"You bastard! How could you kill him?" Bolt asked with rage as he pinned Carson to the pavement.

"It was just business." Carson said, also angrily, before maneuvering out of Bolt's grasp, and pining him instead.

"He saw a shipment docking at the Bangkok bay, and was about to report it. Until he saw the name on the register." Carson continued. Bolt gave Carson a head butt, knocking him backwards; just enough time for the white shepherd to grab Carson by the collar and throw him against the side of one of the Tahoes.

"It was yours, wasn't it?" Bolt asked staring Carson down.

"Bingo." Carson said charging for Bolt once more, but this time, Bolt was quick to avoid the attack as he jumped over the enraged German shepherd. Once his feet hit the ground below, Bolt turned around to see that Carson had made a break for it.

"Not this time, you little prick!" Bolt mumbled to himself before taking after Carson. The two dogs chased through the winding staircases of the mill's buildings. With all of them connected to each other, it meant a better chance of Carson to just lead Bolt on a wild goose chase, in hopes that he would lose him in one of the narrow turns.

"**Bolt, stop!" **said a voice from his earpiece. Bolt immediately came to a screeching halt, and backed up a few feet to take in who was talking to him.

"…Simone?" Bolt asked shocked

"**Yep! Don't go any further!" **Simone said over the feed.

"Uh, shouldn't you let someone else be working the controls? Where's Rhino?" Bolt asked once more.

"**I'm right here. She wouldn't let me do this alone, even though she's sick." **Rhino explained jumping in on their chat.

"**Anyway, Bolt! Carson has a booby trap set up about 20 feet down the railing. We wanted to make sure you didn't go too far." **Simone said. From the railing, Bolt saw Carson traverse through the winding metal stairs, only giving him a farther lead.

"So what do you want me to do?" Bolt asked Simone.

"**Take the back route. The way he's going will send him back behind the yard. From there, you might be able to cut him off if you run down the scrap slide." **Simone said practically giving him turn by turn directions, to which Bolt followed with ease. However, when he made it to the scrap slide, his fear brought him to a stop seeing how high off the ground he was.

"Oh, no! Simone, I don't think I can do this." Bolt said looking at the sheer drop. The slide itself was a 20-foot jump down to the slide, and another 50 feet to the mill yard at the bottom of the slide.

"**Yes you can, Bolt. Just jump, don't think!" **Simone said trying to coax him free of his fear.

"There has to be another way around. I don't do heights." Bolt said starting to shake. Coming around the railing were Trigger and Nova, who both tried their best to stop as soon as they saw Bolt, but had no luck. Just as Bolt turned his head towards the pair, they plowed into him at a speed that was fast enough to knock all three of them over the railing and down the scrap slide. Bolt let out a yell as his body free-fell to the steel ramp. With a thud, Bolt, Trigger and Nova landed on the slide and piled into each other as they hit the barrier at the end.

"Whoa! Sorry dad!" Nova said apologetically, climbing away from the 'dogpile'.

"You're good!" Bolt said trying to shake off the ride. As he and Trigger began their run to catch up with Nova, they saw her take a sharp turn around one of the buildings, but come to a stop. Trigger stopped Bolt abruptly to look at her, wondering why she stopped. The distance between them was about 40 feet.

"What?" Bolt whispered into Trigger's ear.

"Something's not right." Trigger whispered back. After about 5 seconds, Nova began to back up slowly, and out from the shadows came Carson, with his laser eyes ready to strike. Bolt gasped at the sight, with Trigger standing right in front of him, just as shocked.

"No!" Bolt said in a hushed tone. Trigger couldn't contain his anger, and charged at the duo. At the perfect time, Trigger jumped in front of Nova just as Carson fired his laser eyes, in an attempt to take the blow. The lasers took a direct hit to the lab's shoulder, and he fell to the ground with a skid across the pavement.

"Trigger!" Nova shouted as she ran to his side. Carson took off once again, running towards the large processing building in the center of the mill. At that point, Bolt didn't care if he got away; he was more concerned for Trigger's well-being. The shepherd ran to Trigger and his daughter to examine the wounds.

"Trigger, don't move! You're just gonna make it worse." Bolt said taking a closer look at his shoulder.

"Dad, I got this. Carson is still out there, and someone has to go after him." Nova said informing her father of their predicament.

"And someone will… Simone, Carson is heading for the huge building at the south end of the mill. Tell Eli and Beverly." Bolt said over his earwig, hoping Simone was listening.

"**On it!" **Simone said from the other end of the line.

"I'm gonna go find Preston. He's the only one who can help us here." Bolt said taking off to find the only dog on the premises with medical training. Nova watched as her father sprinted for the water tower, but was eventually brought back to Trigger, who was beginning to squirm.

"Trigger, take is easy! Please!" Nova said pleading with her love. Trigger looked up at Nova and sighed seeing that she was okay.

"You saved my life." Nova said starting to tear up.

"And I'd do it a hundred times again if I had to." Trigger said still looking at Nova, but this time, he was smiling. Nova leaned in, and even with tears pouring down her cheeks, she kissed him. His heart began to soar as his lips touched hers, and the pain in his shoulder seemed to be less and less the longer the kiss went on. As they broke apart, Nova looked at his shoulder to see that his would was almost gone. His genetic enhancement was healing the burns from the inside out, and her eyes widened at the sight.

"What?" Trigger asked seeing this.

"Look!" Nova said directing his attention to the used-to-be wound spot.

"Oh my god! It's gone! If only the pain had gone away after I shocked myself from the electric cage." Trigger said laughing, causing Nova to chuckle as well. However, her laugh ended quickly as she went deep into thought due to the last thing Trigger had said.

"Yeah…Yeah!" Nova mumbled to herself in realization. Trigger creased his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what made her put so much emphasis on the statement.

"Yeah, what?" Trigger asked

"That's it!... Trigger, that's it!" Nova said practically shouting, causing Trigger to flinch a little.

"What are you… Nova!" Trigger said shouting, having seen her run off without telling her what she was talking about. He called several more times, but was met with complete silence after she disappeared behind the same building that Carson was sheltering himself.

"What did I miss?" Trigger asked himself as he got to his feet.

"_Trigger!" _shouted a voice from right behind him. The lab turned his head to see Bolt and Preston rushing to his side.

"Your shoulder. What happened?" Bolt asked

"It disappeared! I guess it comes with the genetic enhancement." Trigger concluded

"Yeah, it does! But your DNA has only been reprogrammed for about 2 months. Normally, it takes about 6." Preston said trying to figure out how the wound could heal itself so quickly. Trigger just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head; just as confused as Bolt and Preston.

"Trigger, where's Nova?" Bolt asked, noticing that she wasn't with him.

"Honestly, I don't know. I think she found a way to defeat Carson." Trigger explained

"How?" Preston asked

"Again, I don't know! We were talking about me being electrocuted by the cage we were being held in back in the city. And then she said 'That's it! Trigger, that's it!'"

"What would… Of course!" Preston said obviously understanding what Nova was trying to do. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Bolt and Trigger.

"Would someone please explain to me what we're talking about, here?" Bolt asked getting agitated.

**(Carson and Nova)**

Carson made his way to the 4th floor, and even though he was out of breath, his will to stay one step ahead of his enemies pushed him forward. The only thing lighting his path was the rising moon seeping through the broken window panes; and with holes in the floor from the building's decay, he had to watch every move he made, because one false move could have meant sudden death. Suddenly, on the last step to the 5th floor, a down power line that had broken off after years of ware fell to a puddle of water and lit up the entire top floor. Carson jumped back in fear, nearly falling down the stairs. His eyes were playing tricks on him, and he knew it, which only made staying hidden that much harder.

"**Carson!" **called out a voice from the 1st floor of the building. The voice was familiar, and he had no other way out.

"**I know you're in here." **called out the same voice from below.

"I'm not leaving with you!" Carson shouted figuring that there was no sense in hiding. For about 20 seconds, the entire building stayed quiet. It almost made the feeling even more uneasy.

"**How else do you expect to leave?"**

"In a body bag. Any other way means disaster." Carson answered

"**Carson, you have 5 minutes to come to the 1****st**** floor and surrender, or I'll send the assault unit up FOR you." **the voice warned. Carson recognized the voice. It was Eli.

"Guess what, Ridgeback? YOU have 30 SECONDS to leave the building 'cause I'll be blowing it to bits 30 seconds afterwards. Like I said, I won't leave with you. Consider this a pardon."

"**I'm sorry Carson, but I refuse. You're gonna pay for the suffering you caused me and my family. AND Seth."**

"And just how do you expect to do that?" Carson asked. His answer was soon revealed when a white figure walked up behind him and shot him on his shoulder with her laser eyes. The shepherd fell to the ground, screaming in pain, and looked up to see Beverly walking to his side.

"You…" Carson muttered, still in pain.

"Me!" Beverly said showing a slight smile. Carson got up and slowly crawled about 8 feet away from Beverly, until he felt water soaking the lower half of his body.

"You're done!" Beverly said casually.

"Says you!" Carson said back with a smart remark.

"And her!" Beverly said again, motioning to the other side of the room, where Nova emerged from the darkness, with an intent look to kill on her face. The rage that she'd built up was easily enough to kill him where he sat, but she stood in the same place.

"And him!" Beverly said looking to the stairwell to see Eli ascending the last of the steps to meet his family for their so-called reunion. The expression on his face was similar to that of Nova's, but he had a grim smile on his face.

"And last, but not least… him!" Beverly said once more and waved her paw towards the only moon-lit window in the room, where one more patron was waiting to make his appearance. The figure walked into the light, where his face was enough to make Carson shake.

"Kurt!" Carson whispered in fear. Kurt walked to Nova's side, where two detached power lines were sitting: one for himself, and one for Nova. Carson looked at Beverly, who had one sitting at her feet; and looked at Eli by the stairs, being accompanied by the same one that had fallen into the puddle of water when Carson had first made it to the 5th floor. Carson looked around himself to find… water. The shepherd looked up at Beverly, who was scooping up her power line with her forearm, (no thumbs!)

"This is for Seth!" she muttered. Carson then looked at Eli, who also had HIS power line scooped in his arm.

"This is for our kids!" he said. Then to Nova and Kurt.

"This is for the agency!" Kurt said holding his line.

"And this… is for you!" Nova said with hate written all over her face. Carson took one last look around before…

"Enjoy hell, you murderer!" Nova said, before throwing her line onto the puddle of water, along with Kurt, Beverly, and Eli doing the same thing all at once.

"NOOOOOO!" Carson screamed before the electricity coursed through his entire body, rendering him incapable of movement. The multiple lines of electricity lit up the entire mill, causing all of the spotlights in the yard, local office buildings, and front gate to flash brightly and uncontrollably.

**(Everyone in the yard)**

"What's happening?" Bolt asked, looking around in a panic, and seeing the lights going haywire.

"I don't know!" Preston answered as he and Trigger looked around. Valerie and Carmen were cowering behind Levi, while Nichole hid behind Jack: both brothers doing their best to stand their ground and protect, even if they didn't know what they were fighting.

**(Back on the 5****th**** floor)**

The power had gone out, and the four of them stood in the darkness, all staring at Carson's char-grilled body. If the electric shock hadn't killed him, the external and internal burns _would. _Beverly and Eli looked at each other briefly before Beverly began walking towards him slowly, obviously exhausted. Eli lifted his arm and pulled her into a hug. As they released, they noticed Nova walking around Carson's body to join her parents in their 3rd hug as a reunited family.

"You did wonderful, sweetheart." Beverly whispered into her daughter's ear, causing Nova to smile beneath Eli's fur and sigh in contentment. Kurt joined the family of dogs and smiled.

"Thank you for calling me." Kurt said

"Um… it's not us you should be thanking. It's Bolt. That was his one request. The only problem is… I don't think he knows you're up here." Eli said snickering. Kurt laughed alongside his canine counterparts.

"Well, we might as well surprise him." Kurt said.

"What about him?" Nova asked looking at Carson. Kurt looked over at the lifeless dog and smiled.

"Eh! I'll take care of it!" Kurt said looking at the darkened stairs. With that, Eli led Kurt and his family down the stairwell, leaving Carson's corpse on the 5th floor. As the group reached the bottom of the building, Kurt stopped by the base of the stairs and pulled out a lighter. He then reached for a stray rag and lit it on fire just as Eli, Beverly and Nova were out of view, and tossed it towards the back door. He walked out into the open casually, where he saw Bolt holding Nova in his arms and Preston hugging Eli and Beverly.

"Well, this has been one night I know I won't forget anytime soon." Kurt said walking to the animal montage in front of him.

"No kidding. Whoa… I didn't even know you were here." Bolt said somewhat shocked.

"Yeah, I figured as much… Nova, you should be very proud of yourself. I know everyone else here is." Kurt said complimenting the young husky. She smiled hearing the praise.

"Thank you, Kurt!" Nova said

"So, how exactly did you guys pull this off?" Bolt asked his daughter.

"Um…well" Nova began

**(20 minutes prior)**

_Nova chased after Carson with every intention of catching up, now that she had a plan to take him down. She just caught a glimpse of Carson's back half before he ducked inside the entrance, and stopped next to a neighboring building._

"_Okay, how am I gonna do this?" Nova asked herself. Her train of thought was lost when she was pulled behind the building forcefully by the collar. As she fell to the ground and looked up, she saw a familiar face._

"_Eli, err… Dad! What are you doing?" Nova asked, obviously still deciding what to call him._

"_Wondering what you're doing. I was gonna follow Carson up the stairs, because your mother and Kurt are already waiting on the 5__th__ floor." Eli explained. Nova got to her feet, thinking about how she could help._

"_There has to be something I can do." Nova said _

"_Actually… there is! The fire escape in the back of the building is the only other possible escape route for him. Can you guard it?" Eli asked_

"_You got it!" Nova said taking off for the fire escape at lightning speed, with Eli watching from his spot. He smiled seeing her using her powers in his view._

"_Damn! She's fast." Eli said before running towards the same entrance that Carson had just gone through. Back at the fire escape, Nova was just making it to the top step, meeting her mother at the open window._

"_Nova?" Beverly asked surprised._

"_Yep. I'm here to guard the escape route." Nova explained_

"_Honey, he won't see it from here. I have something better for you in here. I think you deserve a part in this." Beverly said before leaving the window, and Nova's line of sight._

"_Mom!" Nova said not 3 seconds before the side paneling on the edge of the building was folded upwards for Nova to crawl through; which she did. Once inside, she saw Kurt standing next to the wall with two cut power lines in his hands._

"_How is she not getting shocked?" Nova asked in amazement._

"_Just so long as you don't touch the ends, you're good to go." Beverly informed._

"_And one of them is for you." Kurt said setting one right next to her. The smile on her face let both Beverly and Kurt know that she was following their conversation. She knew what they were planning, and was glad to be a part of it._

"_You ready, hun?" Beverly asked. Nova looked at the power line and smiled before looking back at her mother._

"_I was born ready!"_

**(Back to the present)**

"Carson thought he was trapped, but there WAS a 2nd escape route for him." Preston said priding Eli and Beverly for their idea.

"Well, HE didn't know that!" Beverly said smiling, accepting the gesture with a little self-pride, which Eli only laughed at.

"That was pretty awesome, Nova!" Valerie said congratulating her sister, along with Levi, Jack, Carmen and Nichole, who all had good things to say of their own. Suddenly, Trigger walked into view, causing Nova to stop stare at her love. She walked towards him slowly; her smile getting wider as she got closer.

"So… how did I do?" Nova asked him. Trigger laughed a little at the thought of her wanting his approval, because it didn't matter; she already had it!

"Get over here!" Trigger said playfully, causing Nova to laugh before falling into his chest and sighing once again. Suddenly, she looked up towards the building to see flames coming from the ground floor.

"Guys, the building!" Nova said, causing everyone else to look at the large structure and catch sight of what Nova had noticed as well. Eli looked at Kurt, and couldn't help but wonder…

"Um… Kurt!" Eli said getting the man's attention. Kurt turned around to address the group of canines.

"It doesn't matter. It's over, and this way… we can be extra sure. Plus, no one else outside the few of us and the agency needs to know what happened out here tonight anyway. People will start asking questions, and will eventually draw their own conclusions, but no one will ever know the truth. Because they don't NEED to." Kurt explained as the slow flames began to completely consume the establishment.

"It's over!" Bolt said happily. Nova and Trigger both looked at Bolt, who looked back. It was the first full moment of peace the family had gotten since the kids had been dognapped. Out of the blue, a thought came to Trigger's mind.

"Oh, God. Kurt?" Trigger asked

"Yes."

"Do you know where Allen is?"

"Who?"

"Doh… sorry! That man that Preston was tending to during all of the chaos."

"Oh, him? He's been transported to the hospital. After his injuries have healed, he'll be heading for prison."

"Wait, please! If it weren't for him, Levi and I would be dead. He came down to the basement that we were being kept in and said that he would be getting us out. When Bolt let out his superbark, Allen shielded us from the debris, and pushed us underneath the van. He saved our lives!" Trigger said pleading.

"It's true! He turned against Carson to keep us alive." Levi said jumping in on the conversation. Kurt listened to the dogs' pleads for mercy, and noticed just how much it meant to them to not see Allen sent to prison.

"If what you say is true, I will speak with the judge at his hearing. I can't guarantee a thing, but I will definitely try." Kurt decided. It wasn't the answer that Levi and Trigger were hoping for, but for the moment, it would have to do.

"Let's go home!" Eli said leading everyone back to the van. Bolt looked back one last time, seeing the entire building fall to the ground in rubble. It was finally over! Meeting back at the van, rides were given from both the van and Kurt's vehicle, which was a stretch limousine.

"Bolt! You, Nova and Trigger can ride with me. We'll meet back at your home, Beverly!" Kurt decided, to which she nodded in acceptance. As all of the animals piled into each car, Preston made his way over to Simone, who was just walking back into the van in the driver's seat. The look on her face was that of uneasiness and nausea.

"Baby, are you okay?" Preston asked in concern.

"Well, I've felt better." Simone said weakly.

"What's wrong?"

"My stomach sickness is getting worse, but at least now I know why." Simone explained. Preston changed the expression of his face from worry to confusion before looking at Rhino, who had a 'be-awesome' smile on his face. Slowly, he turned his head back to his mate.

"What's going on?" Preston asked once more.

"Preston… I'm pregnant!" Simone said smiling. Preston had absolutely no words to describe how he was feeling, only because he couldn't talk at all. Simone could only smile wider. She didn't care what he thought; she was as excited as can be.

"Huh?" Preston asked with his mouth hanging some.

"You heard me… daddy." Simone said jokingly. Preston sat back to take in what he had just heard, and soon after, he broke out in a smile…

"Oh my God!" Preston said shaking some, his voice cracking from the tears he knew he couldn't hide. He then took Simone into his arm and kissed her passionately. It was the approval she was looking for.

"Are you sure?" Preston asked breaking the kiss.

"Positive! I used the ultrasound machine here in the van, and that thing doesn't lie."

"How many?"

"Four! You're gonna be a father, Preston." Simone said breaking out into tears. Their kiss was soon rekindled, and their love was ever stronger. Eli, Beverly and the kids looked at them as they finished their little make out session.

"So, what's going on?" Beverly asked

"I'm pregnant!" Simone said with pride. Beverly's jaw dropped to the floor, with Eli doing his best not to jump up and down in excitement. With such a small space to move around in, he would hit the roof easily.

"That's great!" Beverly said

"Now, I gotta learn how to be a dad." Preston said going deep into thought.

"Hey! You learn by doing! You're gonna make mistakes, and it'll be a pain in the ass sometimes, but the reward is definitely worth it." Eli said in a heartfelt way. Beverly looked at him and smiled, having listened to what he's said so intently.

"Eli, that was beautiful!" Beverly said melting some. Eli smiled seeing her happy with his words of encouragement.

"Once more I quote… 'Be-awesome!'" Rhino said jumping up and down momentarily, only to be met with laughter.

"Are you always like this, Rhino?" Jack asked.

"Yes!" Simone answered for Rhino.

**(Back to the limo)**

"Well, how are you guys feeling?" Kurt asked

"I, for one, am exhausted!" Bolt answered

"I'm in the same boat." Nova answered as well.

"And I'm just happy to be alive!" Trigger answered with a smile on his face, with Nova smiling along with him as she leaned into his side. Bolt glanced over at the couple and gave a slight smile. Kurt slid down the seating of the limousine, and pressed a button, which started raising the separation window.

"I'll give you guys a few minutes." Kurt said just as the window finished its ascent. Bolt looked over at Nova, who looked down a little.

"You don't look too happy." Bolt said

"I just wanna know your opinion of Trigger. I've heard Mom's version, but I'd rather have yours." Nova said looking up momentarily, but then looking back down. Bolt sighed at the thought of her thinking he wouldn't approve.

"Nova, after everything we've gone through these last few days, I've seen just how much you two care for each other. As much as I don't want you to grow up, I have no choice… and I don't think there's a better dog out there for you than Trigger." Bolt said with confidence. Nova looked up at her father and looked at him like she'd seen a ghost. Suddenly, she felt an arm around her shoulder, and it was one she could finally silently cry into.

"Thank you, Bolt!" Trigger said happily as he looked over at Bolt.

"It's my pleasure. However, I'd like to let you know that there are some rules I want you to follow. As long as you decide to still live with me." Bolt started.

"Like what?" Nova asked

"I want you guys to think long and hard about the possibility of starting a family. It's a responsibility that you BOTH need to take into account." Bolt said

"Well… what do you think, Trigger?" Nova asked looking up at her love.

"I think it's best if we waited. I still need to finish my training, and that'll take another 4 months. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love you, but it would be easier in the future than right now." Trigger said, explaining his view on the subject at hand.

"I agree 100%. It's just better this way." Nova said agreeing with him. Trigger pulled her into a tight hug with his arm, which lasted about 10 seconds. They never DID get tired of being wrapped in each other's arms.

"Next, you guys WILL fight! It's part of a mateship. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask either Mittens or I. Don't ask Rhino… for obvious reasons." Bolt said laughing. Nova snickered at the comment as well, while Trigger just smiled.

"Finally, Trigger!" Bolt said addressing Trigger, who looked at him with his full attention.

"My daughter is to be treated with the utmost respect and kindness she deserves… and then some. As much as she may not want to admit it sometimes, she'll always be my baby girl. So keep her happy!" Bolt said sternly. Trigger looked at Nova, who was still underneath his hold.

"I plan on it!" Trigger said lovingly. Nova leaned forward and kissed him briefly before getting more comfortable underneath his arm. By the time the groups had returned back to the Montoya house, it was already 12:30 in the morning, and after their long reunion, sleep was the only thing occupying their minds. And within 20 minutes, everyone in the house, even Kurt who was invited to stay the night, was fast asleep.

**(The Next Morning)**

Bolt was slowly waking up to the faint sound of talking from the 1st floor. His eyes felt heavy, and he was still low on energy from the night before, but after looking at the clock on the wall: **11:09am**, he decided it best to get up. There would be plenty of time to sleep when he got back home. As he looked around, he saw Mittens lying next to him, with Seth sleeping soundly next to HER. On the other side of the room, Trigger and Nova were also out like lights, with Nova snuggled into Trigger's chest as he leaned against the wall. After seeing just how much Trigger cared for his family, Bolt was more than happy to welcome him in with open arms. With the vague voices still coming from downstairs, the shepherd walked out the bedroom door and down the stairs to join the discussion. Eli was the first of the crowd to spot Bolt.

"Hey, look who's up!" Eli said smiling, to which Bolt smiled back.

"Not completely, but I'm getting there."

"Hey, Bolt. I know you and the kids went straight to bed last night, but there's something you need to hear while you're awake." Preston said getting a little excited.

"What is it?" Bolt asked giving Preston his full attention.

"Well… Simone is pregnant." Preston said plainly. Bolt's eyes shot wide open, and he looked at Simone.

"Wh-what?" Bolt asked stuttering some.

"I'm pregnant, Bolt!" Simone answered again.

"Whoa!" Bolt said happily, congratulating the pair.

"I know right? I'm gonna be a father." Preston said still smiling. All of a sudden, Mittens, Nova, and Trigger walked down the last step, all seeming somewhat shocked.

"Did I hear that right?" Mittens asked

"Yeah, you heard it right! We just did a 2nd ultrasound this morning, and I miscounted the 1st time. There are actually 5 of them." Simone explained.

"I didn't even know you had a 1st ultrasound." Mittens said a little confused.

"It was last night in the van while they were taking care of Carson. I got tired of the vomiting, so I grabbed what I thought was our portable x-ray machine, but I was so dizzy from being sick, I grabbed the ultrasound scanner instead. But either way… I got the answer I needed. At least now we know why I was feeling so sick." Simone said continuing with her story. Bolt smiled widely as he listened in, and looked at Mittens with the same expression on his face, happy to be sharing the same feelings of a child's love with her. He then looked up at Trigger and Nova and thought about the day they go to him with the big news. But he noticed that someone was still missing.

"Baby, where's Seth?" Bolt asked

"Oh, he's still sleeping. I tried to wake him up, but he just rolled over and groaned. So, we'll just let him rest." Mittens answered laughing.

"Works for me." Bolt said

"Um, now that you guys are all awake, we need to talk to you." Beverly said addressing Bolt and his family.

"Okay! What's up?" Bolt asked

"Well, this mostly has to do with you, Nova." Beverly said again, now addressing her daughter.

"What about me?" Nova asked curiously.

"You gave it your all last night when it came to taking down Carson, and you're not even an agent of GGE. But you could be if you wanted." Beverly started.

"What?"

"Kurt would like to offer you free training classes when it comes to controlling your abilities, and if you wanted to go further, he would instate you as an approved agent as soon as you finished your courses. Not even I got that offer." Beverly explained in more detail.

"Um… I don't know what to say." Nova said

"Well, there's more. Depending on the courses you choose, and how long they last; after you complete your training, Eli and I want to know if you would like to live here with us. It would only be a 2-hour drive from here to Bolt's home, so you would get to see him regularly if you wanted. We've already talked this over with Bolt, and he's leaving the decision up to you, and so are we. But if you would like to stay in Callahan with Bolt and Mittens, that's perfectly fine." Beverly said finishing her offer. Nova looked over at Bolt, who just smiled at her. The choice was entirely hers, and that made it especially hard for her. And then she looked at Trigger, and got an idea.

"How long do the courses last?" Nova asked

"Again, it depends on which field you go into. Psychology takes about a year, and so does infantry. Behavioral Analysis will take about 4 months. There's a whole list of options, and they would have you live at the training facility, which is right here in Bakersfield." Beverly answered her daughter.

"Behavioral Analysis? As in like the TV show 'Criminal Minds'?" Nova asked

"Exactly!" Beverly answered once more. Along with 'Smallville', 'Criminal Minds' was one of her favorite shows back home in Callahan. They studied a criminal's behavior, what he did and why he did it. What made him tick? She could see herself doing that line of work. However, along with the interest, she liked the idea of it because it was a 4-month course, which meant she would get done the same time Trigger did with infantry.

"I like it!" Nova said happily.

"I know why you're choosing this course. You'll get done when he does!" Preston said jumping in, looking at Trigger. Nova looked at Preston momentarily before… reading minds. It was one of his powers.

"At least this way, we can be around each other. You said it yourself that you can manage a relationship working here. It won't be easy, but it IS possible." Nova said explaining her reasoning. Preston was happy to see that she was including Trigger in her future plans.

"I thought you said that you didn't want to be a part of GGE." Preston said coming back at her with a statement she'd made earlier.

"I didn't, but back at the mill, I felt like I was making a difference when we fought against Carson. And I already have the reprogrammed DNA, I just need to learn how to control it a little more. It felt… right!" Nova said in realization.

"Well, welcome to the team!" Preston said happily.

"However, as for you Trigger…." Preston said turning his attention to the black lab recruit. Trigger lowered his head a little, figuring he was going to be discharged for not completing his training in time.

"Kurt is gonna need to print out a new badge for you." Preston said simply. Trigger looked at his C.O. trying to comprehend what he was hearing. The only way you would receive a badge was if you…

"You've done it, kid! You're at the top of the heap now. You gave so much to help a cause that you had no right getting into, but you did it anyway. And if you hadn't done all of that, Carson might still be out there. You've shown courage, strength, determination, and heart; all of which you need as an agent. So, I say this and nothing else… Welcome aboard, Agent Trigger!" Preston said with pride. And indeed, he WAS proud. His youngest recruit showed tremendous courage in the face of adversity, and handled it like an experienced agent. Trigger was left completely speechless. He was now an agent! Nova looked at her mate with just as much, if not more, pride than Preston had and smiled.

"You still have to finish your preliminaries, but you'll have the badge. And 4 months from now, you might just have your own team." Preston added on.

"Wow… Thank you!" Trigger said breathily. He was still excited, but he needed some time to take it all in.

"So, Nova! You still haven't answered my question yet. What would you think about living here with us?" Beverly asked her daughter once more. Nova looked at Bolt again, and thought about her options. On one hand, she would get to know her real family more if she stayed with them, but she also already had a life back in Callahan. So, after taking a deep breath, she gave her answer…

"I've been waiting to know who you guys are for so long, and now I finally get the chance." Nova said with everyone thinking she had made up her mind. However, she wasn't finished.

"But, I'll be training here in Bakersfield, and I'll get to see you all as often as I want. Home is where the heart is… and my home is in Callahan. With Dad, Mom, Rhino and Seth!" Nova said having made up her mind to go back home. She smiled as she saw the expression on Bolt's face. As she looked back at her real mom, Nova noticed a smile on Beverly and Eli's faces as well.

"Well, courses for B.A. start next week. I guess I'll be seeing you soon." Kurt said happily. To have a direct bloodline from 'The Phantom Five' as a new recruit in the agency would mean a new generation of superdogs.

"Oh, by the way; there's someone who wants to talk to you as soon as possible, Bolt!" Kurt said completely changing the subject and person he was talking to.

"Let me guess: Penny?" Bolt asked in an obvious tone.

"Yes. I told her that you're still alive, but I think she'd feel better _seeing_ her 'good boy' instead." Kurt said once more.

"I can do that!"

"Excellent! Well, before I go, I have one more piece of business to take care of, and that is talking with the rest of your kids." Kurt said to Eli and Beverly. Levi, Valerie, Nichole, Carmen, and Jack all looked towards Kurt, and waited to hear what he had to say.

"I was told that YOU five also played a part in last night's battle, when it came to saving Allen. The same goes for you, Levi, when you stayed behind at the safe house back in town to fend off Carson and his guards. I honestly believe that I'm looking at the next 'Phantom Five'!" Kurt said giving the siblings their props. All five of them looked at each other in amazement, while the rest of the animals and Kelly gave looks of shock as well.

"Is this like… an offer?" Levi asked

"Not quite, but it could be if you guys wanted to join the agency. You'd have to work your tails off to get there, but it can happen." Kurt said clarifying his statement.

"I think this is something we would have to think about." Jack said speaking for everyone else, which didn't seem to bother them that much, having nodded in response. Giving it some thought was on _their _minds too.

"I agree!" Nichole said

"Yeah, me too!" Valerie added

"Same here!" Carmen added as well.

"Yeah, if you could give us some time to go over it as a group; we'd get back to you when we have an answer. Would that work?" Levi asked

"Absolutely! I didn't expect you to decide right now anyway. Talk it over as a family, and let me know how you feel." Kurt answered

"Thanks man!" Levi said. For the next 3 hours, everyone in the room had something to talk about, and was wrapped up in conversation. Preston and Simone had calculated that her due date would be approximately 4 months from that day: about mid-October! It meant that she would give birth right around the time Nova and Trigger both finished their courses. Seth eventually woke up and joined the crowd, getting filled in on who was going where, and what offers were made to whom. He was a little disappointed to hear that Nova would be leaving for 4 months, but at least he would get to see her sometimes. Also in that time frame, Kurt had managed to set up a cam feed for Bolt and Penny, so that she could see him moving around and still walking for herself. He let her know that he would be home that night, along with Nova and Seth. Trigger would be heading back to the city with Kurt, where he would continue his training and wait for Nova to arrive one week from then. Preston would be going back to Frazier Park, where he still had recruits to take care of, and brag to about what had happened back in Bakersfield. Simone would work back at the warehouse for about another 2 months, when she would take a leave of absence due to her pregnancy. As for how she and Preston would work around the job and the kids, only time would answer THAT question. It was now about 3:00 and Bolt was walking to the back porch, where he saw Beverly sitting at the back steps, looking up at the sky. She turned around to see who was watching her, and smiles when she got her answer.

"What are you looking at up there?" Bolt asked

"Oh, just trying to figure out why it had to be Seth." Beverly said, somewhat jokingly and heartbroken at the same time. Bolt slowly walked up beside her and looked up at the sky with her.

"What would you change?" Bolt asked again.

"I would have made sure Carson wouldn't have been hired in the first place." Beverly said trying to laugh, but her pain was starting to take over. Bolt draped his arms around her waist as best he could.

"If I were you, I wouldn't have changed a thing." Bolt said blatantly.

"Why?"

"Well, think about it; if Seth was still alive, you wouldn't have Eli." Bolt said to begin with. Beverly smiled, knowing that she was blessed to have Eli as her new mate. She loved him with all of her heart, and so did the kids.

"And maybe, none of _this_ would have happened! Carson would still be out there, Preston and Simone might not have each other, or a family on the way, and you wouldn't be as happy as you are right now… Everything happens for a reason, Beverly. Just like the story you told me about how you lived in an airport in Canada for so long before Kurt found you. It was meant to be!" Bolt explained more before continuing.

"I know you miss him so much, but he's livin' it up in the big dog park in the sky." Bolt said trying to be funny, and he DID get a good laugh out of her.

"And he would want you to be happy. And he knows you are with Eli. He knows that you look at your kids every day and think of him. And I know he's proud of you… because I am too!" Bolt finished. Beverly's eyes then started pouring streams of tears, causing Bolt to pull her into his chest and let her cry freely.

"Thank you for everything, Bolt!"

"You're welcome!"

**(The good-byes)**

Preston, Simone and Kurt were giving their final hugs to everyone in the group before the dogs jumped into the van, and Kurt got into his limousine.

"Call us when she goes into labor!" Beverly shouted

"Will do!" Preston shouted back before the door closed, and they were off to Preston's drop-off and then Simone's. Final good-byes were harder for Nova and her siblings, but they would see each other soon enough. Bolt was giving out good-bye hugs left and right before he came to Eli and Beverly and stopped.

"Well guys. At least now we can chat daily and not have to hide it from anyone." Bolt said jokingly.

"No kidding. The picture frames were fun and all, but I miss the phone." Eli said walking up to Bolt for his hug. After releasing, Beverly walked up for hers, along with one more way of her saying 'good-bye'. The same gesture she gave at the warehouse after the mission 9 months prior: a kiss. Mittens rolled her eyes and smiled, knowing how much Beverly loved giving them to Bolt. To her, it was kinda funny.

"You never get tired of doing that, do you?" Bolt asked with a smile.

"Only when you deserve them." Beverly answered

"Hey! No mixing parents here!" Nova said watching from about 10 feet away as she stood right next to Trigger. Bolt and Beverly just laughed at the irony of the situation. Mittens, Rhino, Bolt and Seth were all strapped into the GGE company car that Kurt had sent for them earlier that morning. The only one left to go was Nova, who was about to say 'good-bye' to Trigger.

"I'll see you in a week, okay?" Trigger said softly.

"Okay. I love you so much!" Nova said shedding a few tears. Trigger walked up and pulled her in for a tight hug, which she definitely needed. Nova cried silently for a moment before looking back at the car, knowing that it was time to leave.

"I'll see you soon, baby!" Trigger said happily.

"That you will!" Nova said back. As she turned around to go for the car, Trigger suddenly pulled her back for a long kiss. It would be the last one they would share for a week, so he wanted to make it last. As they broke apart, Nova gasped a little before smiling widely.

"Save some of that for next week!" Nova said getting a little excited, to which Trigger just laughed at.

"I love you!" Trigger said one last time.

"I love you too!" Nova said before going for the car. As she jumped into the back seat, she looked at her family, who were all smiling coyly.

"What?" Nova asked like she'd done something wrong.

"Nothing! You guys are just so cute together." Mittens said still smiling.

"Thanks mom!" Nova said sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm not kidding! You have no idea how happy I am for you two." Mittens said with some more honesty in her voice this time.

"Let's go home, guys!" Bolt said happily, lying down in seat, where Seth and Mittens curled up right next to him, and Nova chose a seat near the window. The husky stared up at the sky, knowing her father would be proud of her. It gave her a sense of comfort knowing, even though she couldn't hear him say it. She rested her head down on the seat and fell asleep, awaiting the new life she was about to start: with GGE, with Trigger, with her siblings, and with whatever else she wanted. The possibilities were endless for her. The sky was the limit. And she was in control.

**(6 months later)**

Nova took right to GGE'S classes for Behavioral Analysis, and studied her heart out. She earned her certification in what seemed like no time at all, and went straight to work. As for Trigger, his promotion to agent spread quickly and gained attention from Nova's department, and soon, he was invited to join the B.A. unit. It meant that he and Nova could work together, doing something they both loved so much: making a difference. They haven't decided on a family just yet, but for the future, the chance is still there. Nova kept in contact with Eli and Beverly constantly and always made sure to keep in touch with her siblings as well.

Levi, Valerie, Jack, Nichole and Carmen decided to accept the offer that Kurt had made for them to train at GGE, and soon after, they started their own training in Los Angeles. One year from now, the five of them plan on starting the NEW 'Phantom Five' and taking after their parents. However, they decided to change the name of their troop to something a little catchier… 'The California Canines!'

Preston proved himself to being a wonderful troop leader, and was offered a position to run a new canine branch in San Diego. However, he declined the offer and filed for retirement to focus on being a father to his 5 new pups. Simone gave birth on October 18th, bearing 3 boys and 2 girls. Their names are Hayden, Abby, Gage, Ivan, and Preston Jr.: the oldest of the pups. Simone retired from GGE as well, finding a new home with Preston in northern California. The family that took the 7 of them in had recently lost their 3 animals in a flood, and felt like a part of their memory could still be with them with the adoption of Preston, Simone and their pups.

Eli and Beverly are still living happily in Bakersfield with Kelly, but decided to council newer members of GGE as a 'part-time job', due to their kids not being around as often. They are also secretly trying for a 2nd litter of pups, unbeknownst to their children. (SHHHH!)

Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino are still living with Penny, who has only one more year to go before she goes off to college. Her boyfriend, Michael will be joining her at The University of California in Berkeley, where he will be studying to become a veterinary technician, and she will study photography. Bolt and Mittens are happy to have each other, and to have the hectic days of the agency behind them. They visit Nova and Trigger on a regular basis. As for Rhino, well… the arm of the couch just wouldn't be the same if he wasn't there.

Allen was released from the hospital after two weeks of treatment, receiving a broken pelvis and 4 broken ribs. At his hearing, Kurt made the mention of his heroic acts of saving two soon-to-be agents, therefore reducing his conviction. His charges for smuggling were completely dropped, but still received 60 days in federal prison for 'accessory to commit murder', and will be on probation for the next 3 years, due to the charges for kidnapping and distribution. He now currently works for GGE in the surveillance department, as well as being the proud owner of two extraordinary canines: Trigger and Nova.

All's well that ends well! And everyone has found a place in this world in which we call 'BOLT'. Wait a minute! We're forgetting someone…Seth! The young feline decided to move in with Penny's best friend, Hannah to finally learn more about HIS mother. Hannah was more than happy to welcome him in, and is happy to say that his new life includes chasing after birds, getting into a little trouble here and there, and one thing that every guy eventually deals with… a girl! But he'll save that for when he hits puberty!

*****End of Story*****

Oh my God! I can't believe this story is over! I promised a little surprise, and I think you figured out that one. Simone's pregnancy! Eventually, it was bound to happen, especially with me as your author. I hope I continue to rock the 'Bolt' page, and can't wait to see everyone's new stories, including the sequel to 'Love and Friendship' by WordNerb93. Dude, there's quite a few of us out there that are begging for it. No pressure; I just like to remind people. I'm always curious to see what Mike101 is able to pull out of his bag of tricks. This site has given me an incredible opportunity to show that I'm more than just a singer. I'm accepted by people here, and it's fun to write for others. Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing my stories, and watching my YouTube videos. I hope to be back with a new story soon. Whatever it's about will have to wait, because I don't even know. Until next time, my friends…

Adios!


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